Petrograd Soviet
On the 27th of January 1917, the entire leadership of the Central Workers' Group was arrested and taken to the Peter and Paul Fortress. Alexander Protopopov, the Minister of the Interior in Imperial Russia, issued the orders for this detention. A crowd of disaffected soldiers freed them on the morning of the 27th of February, marking the beginning of the February Revolution. That same evening, between 69 and 300 people attended a meeting at the Tauride Palace. They elected a provisional executive committee named the Provisional Executive Committee of the Soviet of Workers' Deputies. Nikolay Chkheidze chaired this new body with mostly Menshevik deputies. Izvestia became the official newspaper of the group. The following day, the 28th of February, saw a plenary session where elected representatives from factories and the military joined the soviet. Non-representative voting gave the Soviet almost 3,000 deputies within two weeks. Most of these deputies were soldiers. Meetings remained chaotic and unruly throughout those early days.
The Petrograd Soviet developed into an alternate source of authority to the Provisional Government under Prince Georgy Lvov. Later, Alexander Kerensky led that government. This situation created dvoevlastiye or dual power. The Ispolkom often publicly attacked the Provisional Government as bourgeois. It boasted of its de facto power over de jure authority. Control extended to post, telegraphs, the press, railroads, food supply, and other infrastructure. A shadow government called the Contact Commission formed on the 8th of March. Its purpose was to inform the Provisional Government about demands of the revolutionary people. It aimed to exert pressure on the government to dissatisfy all these demands. On the 19th of March, control extended into the military front lines with commissars appointed with Ministry of War support. In March 1917, the Petrograd Soviet opposed workers who protested its deliberations with strikes. The Menshevik newspaper Rabochaia Gazeta claimed strikers discredited the soviet by disobeying it. The executive committee resolved to remain outside any new State Duma on the 1st of March.
The rise of the Bolsheviks throughout 1917 is known as the Bolshevization of soviets. In June, 100,000 copies of Pravda were printed daily including Soldatskaya Pravda, Golos Pravdy, and Okopnaya Pravda. Over 350,000 leaflets were distributed in July alone. The July Days riots from the 16th to the 17th of July inspired but not led by the Bolsheviks failed without success. The Ispolkom moved to protect the Bolsheviks from serious consequences after those events. Resolutions adopted on the 4th of August and the 18th of August argued against arresting or prosecuting Bolsheviks. During the Kornilov affair, the Ispolkom used the Bolsheviks' military as its main force against counter-revolution. Kerensky ordered the distribution of 40,000 rifles to workers of Petrograd. Many of these weapons ended up in hands of Bolshevik groups. On the 25th of September, the Bolsheviks gained a majority in the Workers' Section. Leon Trotsky was elected chairman that day. He directed the transformation of the Soviet into a revolutionary organ according to Bolshevik policies.
On the 9th of October, the Soviets considered creating a Committee of Revolutionary Defense. The Plenum voted for a committee to gather all forces participating in defense of Petrograd. It aimed to arm workers ensuring revolutionary defense against military and civilian Kornilovites. The Ispolkom approved this resolution on the 12th of October despite Menshevik resistance. The Soviet approved it on the 16th of October. This created the Military Revolutionary Committee also called Milrevcom. Pavel Lazimir chaired the committee with Nikolai Podvoisky as his deputy. Vladimir Antonov-Ovseenko served as secretary. The Military Staff was sidelined on the night of the 21st of October when the Milrevcom took exclusive control of the garrison. Colonel Polkovnikov refused to allow this control. He and his staff were condemned in a Milrevcom public statement as direct weapons of counter-revolutionary forces. The District Commander responded with an ultimatum leading to delayed negotiations on the 23rd and the 24th of October.
The Bolshevik-popular uprising began on the 24th of October when liberal forces tried to shut down Pravda. The Milrevcom sent armed groups to seize main telegraph offices and lower bridges across the Neva. That night, Bolsheviks took control quickly since vast majority of guard and workers sided with them. They participated in plans of the Milrevcom. The following morning at 10 am, the Milrevcom issued an announcement written by Lenin declaring end of Provisional Government. Power transferred to the Petrograd Soviet. In early afternoon, Trotsky convened an Extraordinary Session of the Petrograd Soviet to preempt Congress of Soviets. It packed with Bolsheviks and Left SR deputies. That evening, the Second Congress of Soviets opened in Assembly Hall in Smolny. Six hundred delegates chose a Presidium of three Mensheviks and 21 Bolsheviks and Left SRs. The Ispolkom rejected workings of Congress that day calling on Soviets and army to defend Revolution. In evening, Congress dismissed Ispolkom replacing it with new group of 101 members including 62 Bolsheviks under Lev Borisovich Kamenev.
After the first All-Russian Congress of Soviets in June or July 1917, the Petrograd Soviet began adding representatives from other parts of Russia. It renamed itself the All-Russian Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. Executive committee became All-Russian Central Executive Committee with over 70 members but no peasant representatives. Mass meetings tapered from daily in first weeks to roughly weekly by April. The Congress approved Decree on Peace and Decree on Land during its session. It also formed Council of People's Commissars abbreviated Sovnarkom until meeting of Constituent Assembly. Sovnarkom meant to be executive governing body directly accountable to newly created Central Executive Committee acting as standing-body between full sessions. In practice Sovnarkom eclipsed CEC/TSiK in autonomy and power. The Petrograd Soviet eventually transformed into an All-Russian body before dissolution replaced by Council of People's Commissars.
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Common questions
When was the Petrograd Soviet established and who chaired its first executive committee?
The Petrograd Soviet held its initial meeting on the 27th of February 1917 at the Tauride Palace. Nikolay Chkheidze chaired this new body with mostly Menshevik deputies.
What dates did the Bolsheviks take control of the Petrograd Soviet during the October Revolution?
Bolshevik forces seized power on the 24th of October 1917 when they took control of main telegraph offices and bridges across the Neva. The Second Congress of Soviets opened that evening in the Assembly Hall in Smolny to formalize the transfer of authority.
How many deputies joined the Petrograd Soviet within two weeks of its formation in early 1917?
Non-representative voting gave the Petrograd Soviet almost 3,000 deputies within two weeks after its founding. Most of these deputies were soldiers from the military.
Who led the Provisional Government while the Petrograd Soviet operated as an alternate source of authority?
Prince Georgy Lvov initially led the Provisional Government under which the Petrograd Soviet developed dual power. Alexander Kerensky later led that government before the Bolshevik takeover.
When was the Military Revolutionary Committee created and who served as its chairman?
The Petrograd Soviet approved the creation of the Military Revolutionary Committee on the 16th of October 1917. Pavel Lazimir chaired this committee with Nikolai Podvoisky serving as his deputy.