The aims and membership of the Petrograd Soviet
- Created by: Tori
- Created on: 23-05-20 11:48
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- The aims and membership of the Petrograd Soviet
- The Soviet was established in late Feb 1917 in order to co-ordinate striking workers across Petrograd.
- In many ways it was similar to the St Petersburg Soviet of 1905:
- - The Soviet was elected regularity and directly by factory workers and soldiers living in Petrograd.
- - Delegates could be recalled by the factories or army units that elected them.
- - Delegates recieved the same pay as ordinary workers.
- However, unlike in 1905, the 1917 intellectuals could become full members of the Soviet.
- In many ways it was similar to the St Petersburg Soviet of 1905:
- The aims of the Soviet
- The Soviet's aims were to defend the rights of the workers under the new 'bourgeois government' which respected the rights of the working class.
- The spread of Soviets
- As the Tsar's government broke down Soviets emerged across Russia.
- The relationship between the Petrograd Soviet and the PG was replicated across the country.
- As the Tsar's government broke down Soviets emerged across Russia.
- Congresses
- The Soviets collaborated with each other.
- Indeed, in June 1917 representatives from Soviets across the whole of Russia met for the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets.
- Of the 1,090 delegates at the First Congress, the majority were SRs and Mensheviks.
- Indeed, in June 1917 representatives from Soviets across the whole of Russia met for the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets.
- The Soviets collaborated with each other.
- Lenin and the Soviets
- From April 1917 Lenin argued that the Soviets should take over the government of Russia.
- Wanted to replace the undemocratic bourgis Provisional Government.
- By late 1917 this view was extreemly popular.
- Indeed, Lenin's book 'State and Revolution' (written in late 1917) won the Bolsheviks considerable support.
- This was due to its vision of a new democratic Russia in which workers and peasants ruled themselves.
- Indeed, Lenin's book 'State and Revolution' (written in late 1917) won the Bolsheviks considerable support.
- From April 1917 Lenin argued that the Soviets should take over the government of Russia.
- Early political reforms
- March reforms guarenteed fundamental freedoms:
- - Freedom of expression, including freedom of the press.
- -Freedom of Assembly, including the freedom to protest against the government.
- They also introduced profound changes to the legal system.
- Equal political and legal rights were guarenteed for all people regardless of religion or ethnic or national background.
- The reforms promised a truly democratic Russia:
- The new government promised universal sufferage for all adults, including women.
- There were also radical changes to the nature of the state:
- - The Okhrana was abolished.
- -The death penalty was abolished.
- - There was an amnesty for political prisoners, including people convicted for terrorism.
- Impact of the reforms
- Reflected a radical shift of Russian government.
- The key features of the Tsarist system, including autocratic government and police repression, were swept away.
- March reforms guarenteed fundamental freedoms:
- The limits of reform
- The Petrograd Soviet pushed for greater reforms.
- A maximum 8 hour day was a long-standing demand of workers.
- And peasants wanted land reform.
- However, the Provisional Government argued that reforms to work and to property should wait until the Constituent Assembly was elected.
- This was because the Constituent Assembly would have a genuine mandate from the Russian people.
- A maximum 8 hour day was a long-standing demand of workers.
- The Petrograd Soviet pushed for greater reforms.
- The impact of the reforms
- The abolition of the political police and the quarantee of political rights meant that radical political leaders were free to return to Russia:
- Stalin arrived in Petrograd in March 1917.
- Lenin returned in April, along with Grigori Zinoview and Lev Kamenev.
- Nikolai Bukhaarin returned to Moscow in May.
- Radicals from other political parties also returned, including Mensheviks leaders and other Marxists.
- The returning revolutionaries were also free to organise against the government.
- From March leading Bolsheviks campaigned against the continuation of the war.
- And from April leading Bolsheviks campaigned for a second revolution.
- In this sense early political reforms helped to destabilise the new government.
- From March leading Bolsheviks campaigned against the continuation of the war.
- The abolition of the political police and the quarantee of political rights meant that radical political leaders were free to return to Russia:
- The Soviet was established in late Feb 1917 in order to co-ordinate striking workers across Petrograd.
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