Why Was The February Revolution Inevitable

Upon deciding whether the February Revolution is one which occurred unprompted, spontaneously, without the aid of a party and not brought about by the actions of revolutionary individuals or parties who might attempt to start such revolution, it is crucial to take into account all the factors involved in the events of February 1917. After a revolution in 1905, the Tsarist regime appeared to come out unscathed and stronger than it had been. However, by February 1917, demonstrators, soldiers, politicians, and even the generals of Tsar Nicholas II’s army were urging him to relinquish power and abdicate. Most of the workers in Petrograd and Moscow were striking and rioting for higher food rations. Many of the soldiers refused to suppress the mutinous army which meant that there was military insubordination and mutiny spread. It is a general agreement between Marxist and pessimist historians who believe that the abdication and end of Tsarism was inevitable. However, optimist historians argue that it was the three years of the Great War and the harsh conditions suffered by the Russian people that resulted from the

Alexander Guchkov, was a key participant of this group, who was to be a member of the Provisional Government. He and his accomplices set up workers groups to enlist the help of the industrial workers who supported the war. They also received some support from Menshevik leaders. The Liberals understood that in the future a culmination of all the discontent would result in a mass revolution, which would ultimately cause extreme chaos in Russia. The problem was that such a revolution was likely to impair the war effort and lessen chance of victory for Russia. In order to avoid this, they organised a palace coup that would depose the Tsar without involving the public at large. In this way there would be no disruption of the war effort. It was planned to capture the Tsar on his train on March 17th in 1917 and force him to abdicate in favour of his son