Why a government of high-minded democrats failed to survive eight months in Russia

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Formed after the Romanov dynasty collapsed in 1917, the Russian Provisional Government aimed to transition the nation toward democracy. Yet, its commitment to perfectionism and wartime obligations left it paralyzed. By waiting for a comprehensive election, it lost its legitimacy, eventually being swept aside by the Bolsheviks in October.

The Russian Provisional Government emerged in March 1917 following the sudden collapse of the Romanov monarchy. Initially composed of liberal ministers and led by Prince Georgy Yevgenyevich Lvov, the regime faced an immediate crisis of legitimacy. Because the monarchy had been destroyed, the new leaders believed only an elected Constituent Assembly could truly represent the will of the Russian people. However, they insisted on waiting for a completely free and comprehensive election, a decision that proved disastrous.

This delay was compounded by the ongoing strain of World War I. The government’s leaders, including foreign minister Pavel Milyukov, felt bound by alliances and continued the war effort, despite widespread public exhaustion. Meanwhile, the Provisional Government found itself in a precarious power-sharing arrangement with the Petrograd Soviet of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Deputies. While the government held formal authority, the Soviet commanded the loyalty of industrial workers and, increasingly, the military. This dual power structure left the government effectively suspended in the air.

Political factionalism and a breakdown of state structures further eroded the government's ability to act. As the administration reorganized twice, it struggled to address the country's most pressing problems, including the war and the need for land reform. Alexander Kerensky, who eventually succeeded Lvov, was derisively nicknamed the persuader-in-chief for his inability to force decisive policy. By late October 1917, the government’s weakness allowed the Bolsheviks to seize power in a bloodless coup, ending the eight-month experiment in democratic transition.

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