Simone Lawson
The Russian Republic was a short-lived state that controlled the territory of the former Russian Empire after its proclamation by the Russian Provisional Government in September 1917. The Russian Empire, which lasted until 1917, was an absolute monarchy ruled by an autocratic emperor commonly referred to as the Tsar. While there were some attempts at reform, such as the Russian Constitution of 1906, which established a bicameral parliament, the Tsar retained ultimate power. The Russian Republic, on the other hand, was a democratic federal republic, as proclaimed by the Constituent Assembly in January 1918, before being dissolved by the Bolsheviks, who established the Russian Soviet Republic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of formation | 1 September 1917 |
| Also known as | Russian Democratic Federative Republic |
| Government | Provisional Government |
| De facto control | Petrograd Soviet, soviets, ethnic-based separatists |
| Dissolution | 7 November 1917 |
| Preceded by | Russian Empire |
| Succeeded by | Russian Soviet Republic |
| Preceding political system | Absolute monarchy |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Russia was an absolute monarchy
The foundations for modern Russia were laid in the late 15th century by the Grand Duke of Moscow, Ivan III. Ivan successfully freed Moscow from paying tribute to the Mongols and brought several principalities of the Rus’ under his control. Ivan took to calling himself “Tsar,” a name derived from the Latin title Caesar. At this time, Moscow assumed the identity of the ‘Third Rome’, the final successor to the Roman Empire. Ivan IV, or Ivan the Terrible, was the first Russian monarch to be crowned tsar of all Russia in 1547. He was known for his violent rule, inflicting grotesque violence on his political opponents.
Peter I, or Peter the Great, reduced the power of the Russian nobility and strengthened the central power of the monarch, establishing a bureaucracy. This tradition of absolutism was expanded by Catherine II and her descendants. Alexander II made some reforms and established an independent judicial system, but Russia did not have a representative assembly or a constitution until the 1905 Revolution. The Russian Constitution of 1906 was enacted during the Russian Revolution of 1905 in an attempt by the imperial government to preserve its existence and prevent the empire from disintegrating. The new constitution provided for a bicameral Russian parliament, without whose approval no laws were to be enacted in Russia.
The Russian Empire was the last European country (excluding Vatican City) to abolish absolutism, and it was the only one to do so as late as the 20th century. The concept of absolutism was so ingrained in Russia that even the Russian Constitution of 1906 still described the monarch as an autocrat. Russia's retention of absolutism until the 20th century can be attributed to the theological justification of the divine right of kings, which claimed that monarchs had supreme autocratic power by divine right. This justification was regarded as obsolete in most Western countries by the 19th century but persisted in Russia until the February Revolution in 1917.
Barbados' Constitutional Monarchy: A Political System Overview
You may want to see also
The Decembrist revolt of 1825
The Decembrist revolt was the culmination of a revolutionary movement that began during the reign of Alexander I. The background of the revolt lay in the Napoleonic Wars, when a number of well-educated Russian officers travelled in Western Europe and were exposed to its liberalism. These officers created the Union of Salvation, aimed at abolishing serfdom and introducing a constitutional monarchy by means of armed revolt at the next emperor’s succession to the throne. Several clandestine organizations were preparing for an uprising after Alexander’s death.
On 26 December 1825, about 3,000 officers and soldiers refused to swear allegiance to the new tsar, Nicholas I, proclaiming their loyalty to the idea of a Russian constitution and a constitutional monarchy instead. The revolt was easily crushed by Nicholas, and the surviving rebels were exiled to Siberia.
The Decembrist revolt was a significant event in Russian history as it was the first open breach between the government and reformist elements of the Russian nobility. It also caused Nicholas to turn away from the modernization program begun by Peter the Great and champion the doctrine of Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality. To repress further revolts, censorship was intensified, including the constant surveillance of schools and universities.
The German Empire: Constitutional Monarchy Examined
You may want to see also
The Russian Constitution of 1906
The new constitution provided for a bicameral Russian parliament, consisting of an upper house (State Council) and a lower house (State Duma). The Tsar appointed half of the upper house's members, while the other half were elected by various governmental, clerical, and commercial interests. The lower house's members were chosen by different classes of the Russian people through a complex scheme of indirect elections, with the system weighted to ensure the dominance of the propertied classes. While the Duma had legislative powers and could question the Tsar's ministers, it could not control their appointment or dismissal, as that was reserved for the monarch. Additionally, the Duma could not alter the constitution without the emperor's initiative.
The first Duma was established in April 1906, but Tsar Nicholas II, who was committed to maintaining absolute monarchy, dismissed the First and Second Dumas when they proved "unsatisfactory" to him. He altered the election statutes to ensure that more landed persons would be elected to future Dumas. The Third and Fourth Dumas lasted longer but still clashed with the Tsar and his government over state policy and the nature of the Russian state.
Ultimately, with the outbreak of the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Fourth Duma played a pivotal role in bringing about the Tsar's abdication, leading to the abolition of the monarchy and the rise of the Russian Provisional Government under Kerensky. However, this liberal government was short-lived, as it was overthrown a few months later in the October Revolution, marking Russia's transition to a Bolshevik dictatorship.
Monarchy vs Sovereignty: Who Really Rules?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Russian Provisional Government
Despite the empire's expansion and political power, it faced internal challenges. The Decembrist revolt of 1825, for example, was led by a group of liberal nobles and army officers who sought to install a constitutional monarchy. While the revolt was crushed, it highlighted the growing desire for change among some Russians exposed to Western European liberalism.
In the early 20th century, the Russian Empire continued to face social unrest, revolutionary organizations, and calls for reform. The Russian Constitution of 1906 marked a significant shift, as it transformed the absolutist state into one where the emperor shared power with a parliament. This constitution established a bicameral Russian parliament, with an upper house (State Council) and a lower house (State Duma), and while it provided for legislative powers, the monarch retained control over ministerial appointments and constitutional alterations.
Constitutional Monarchy: Citizen's Voting Rights Explored
You may want to see also
The Russian Soviet Republic
The Russian Republic was governed by the Russian Provisional Government, led by Prince Georgy Lvov, and later by Alexander Kerensky. However, the Bolsheviks seized power by force on 7 November 1917, dissolving the government. A partially democratic election of the Constituent Assembly took place in November 1917, and on 18 January 1918, the Assembly proclaimed Russia a democratic federal republic. This assembly was dissolved by the Bolsheviks the very next day, and they proclaimed the creation of the Russian Soviet Republic on 25 January 1918.
Prior to the Russian Soviet Republic, the Russian Empire had been an absolute monarchy, ruled by an autocratic emperor commonly referred to as the "Tsar". The emperor held vast power and could alter or repeal laws as they saw fit. However, they were constrained by the requirement to profess the Russian Orthodox faith and obey the laws of succession laid down by Emperor Paul I. The Russian Constitution of 1906 marked a significant shift, as it established a bicameral parliament and curtailed the emperor's absolute power. Despite this, Nicholas II remained committed to maintaining absolute monarchy and resisted calls for reform.
Virginia's Constitutional Monarchy: Myth or Reality?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, the Russian Republic was not originally a constitutional monarchy. The Russian Empire, which preceded the Russian Republic, was an absolute monarchy ruled by an autocratic emperor commonly referred to as the "Tsar".
The Russian Empire was an autocracy, with the Tsar or Emperor holding virtually limitless power. While there was a Boyar Duma, it served only as an advisory institution without any legislative powers.
The Russian Empire transitioned to a constitutional monarchy with the enactment of the 1906 Russian Constitution, which established a bicameral parliament with limited legislative powers.
The 1906 Russian Constitution provided for a bicameral parliament, consisting of the State Council (upper house) and the State Duma (lower house). While the Duma had some legislative powers, the Tsar retained control over appointing and dismissing ministers and altering the constitution.
The Russian Revolution of 1905, combined with increasing calls for reform, peasant unrest, and the rise of revolutionary organizations, forced the imperial government to grant a constitution and share power with a parliament to prevent the disintegration of the empire.
