Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History
Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016
Key topic 1: The revolutions of 1917 - 3 The Provisional Government: The…
Full specification wording
Option 30: Key topic 1: The revolutions of 1917 - 3 The Provisional Government: The weaknesses and failures of the Provisional Government.
The Provisional Government, formed after the Tsar's abdication in 1917, faced inherent weaknesses and made critical failures leading to its downfall.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 3
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
The Provisional Government, formed after the Tsar's abdication in 1917, faced inherent weaknesses and made critical failures leading to its downfall. Its primary weakness was a lack of democratic legitimacy, being unelected and sharing power with the Petrograd Soviet in 'Dual Power'. The Soviet controlled the army through Order Number 1, limiting the government's authority. Crucially, the Provisional Government failed to address pressing issues: it delayed land reforms, alienating the peasantry, and disastrously chose to continue fighting in the First World War. The June Offensive resulted in catastrophic losses, destroying the government's credibility and highlighting its inability to govern effectively amidst growing unrest.
What earns the marks
- Identify the structural weakness of Dual Power and the Petrograd Soviet's control over the military via Order Number 1.
- Explain the failure to withdraw from the First World War and the disastrous impact of the June Offensive.
- Describe the failure to enact land reform, which led to peasant uprisings and loss of rural support.
- Analyse how the lack of an electoral mandate undermined the Provisional Government's authority to make major decisions.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing the Provisional Government with the Petrograd Soviet.
Put it right by identifying the Provisional Government as the formal state authority and the Soviet as the workers' council.
Stating that the Provisional Government ended the war.
Put it right by explaining that they chose to continue fighting to honour alliances, which was a major failure.
Believing the Provisional Government was elected.
Put it right by noting it was a temporary, unelected body formed from the old Duma.
Exam tips
- Link specific failures, such as the June Offensive, directly to the growing support for opposition groups like the Bolsheviks.
- Use the term 'Dual Power' to explain the structural weakness of the government from its inception.
- When evaluating failures, consider both the inherited problems and the government's own poor decisions.
Try the lesson
The start of the Option 30: Key topic 1: The revolutions of 1917 - 3 The Provisional Government: The weaknesses and failures of the Provisional Government. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following was a major failure of the Provisional Government in 1917?
Listen
The Provisional Government, formed after the Tsar's abdication in 1917, faced inherent weaknesses and made critical failures leading to its downfall. Its primary weakness was a lack of democratic legitimacy, being unelected and sharing power with the Petrograd Soviet in 'Dual Power'. The Soviet controlled the army through Order Number 1, limiting the government's authority. Crucially, the Provisional Government failed to address pressing issues: it delayed land reforms, alienating the peasantry, and disastrously chose to continue fighting in the First World War. The June Offensive resulted in catastrophic losses, destroying the government's credibility and highlighting its inability to govern effectively amidst growing unrest. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Identify the structural weakness of Dual Power and the Petrograd Soviet's control over the military via Order Number 1. Explain the failure to withdraw from the First World War and the disastrous impact of the June Offensive. Describe the failure to enact land reform, which led to peasant uprisings and loss of rural support. Analyse how the lack of an electoral mandate undermined the Provisional Government's authority to make major decisions. A common slip: Confusing the Provisional Government with the Petrograd Soviet. Instead, identifying the Provisional Government as the formal state authority and the Soviet as the workers' council. Exam tip: Link specific failures, such as the June Offensive, directly to the growing support for opposition groups like the Bolsheviks.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Dual Power
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Order Number 1
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June Offensive
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Land reforms
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Dual Power
- A sharing of power between the unelected Provisional Government and the Petrograd Soviet, which limited the government's authority.
- Order Number 1
- The measure through which the Petrograd Soviet controlled the army, limiting the Provisional Government's authority.
- June Offensive
- A disastrous continuation of the First World War that resulted in catastrophic losses and destroyed the government's credibility.
- Land reforms
- Changes the Provisional Government delayed, alienating the peasantry and leading to peasant uprisings and loss of rural support.
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