The Provisional Government

The Provisional Government
Background
the provisional government is the name give to the government that led Russia from March 1917 to November 1917.
Throughout its existence, the provisional government met at the Tauride Palace.
By July it was led by Alexander Kerensky.
The provisional government had one major disadvantage it's leaders, especially Kerensky were associated with the middle class.
They were not seen as having anything in common with the working class, therefore,how could they possibly represent them.

Mistakes
The provisional government also committed two huge blunders:
It refused to give land to the poor peasants in the rural areas.
This seemed to confirm the point above- that the provisional government did not understand the desires of the poor. To survive the peasants needed land and this was refused by Kerensky.
By far the biggest blunder was the decision taken by the provisional government to keep Russia in World War One.
This was a curious decision as the war was hated by the Russian people who had suffered greatly as a result of it.

Lenin's Return
Lenin returned to Russia on April 3rd 1917.
The Germans had helped him return so he could seize power and make peace.
This was a very long route from Switzerland, through Germany, into Sweden, Finland then finally Petrograd.
He made a famous speech when he arrived which became known as the April Thesis.

April Thesis
It's main demands were:
Power should be transferred to the soviets.
The war should be brought to an immediate end.
All land should be taken over by the state and relocated by local soviets.
These demands became known as PEACE, LAND and BREAD.

Reaction
The initial reaction was mixed.
The Bolsheviks were still a minority among socialists, numbering only 26,000 members.
The Bolsheviks were divided as to whether to help the provisional government or not.
Some felt Lenin had grown out of touch and that he was too radical.
There were allegations, with some element of truth, that Lenin was in the pay of the Germans.

Longer Term
Bit by bit Lenin won over people with his speeches.
The peasants did not seize land because Lenin told them too, they were already doing it.
By the end of April, Lenin had won over the majority of the Bolshevik Central Committee.
This meant that the Bolshevik policy would now to be opposed to the provisional government.

Challenges to its Authority the provisional government had to overcome two challenges to its authority. One was called the July Days and the other was the Kornilov Affair.

Why the Bolsheviks would work with the Provisional Government?
To try and bring down the Duma from the inside. Also because it was very unlikely that a revolution would occur in the same year.

Why won't they work with them?
They don't have the same aims and Lenin wanted to rule not to follow.