On September 14 in 1917, the Russian Republic was proclaimed upon a decree of the Provisional Government. The decree was signed by the Minister-Chairman Alexander Kerensky, and the Minister of Justice Alexander Zarudny. However, the Provisional Government was formed under the leadership of Prince Georgy Lvov. Officially, the Republic’s government was the Provisional Government, although de facto control of the country was contested between it, the soviets (chiefly the Petrograd Soviet), and various ethnic-based separatists (such as the Central Council of Ukraine). Soviets were political organisations of the proletariat and were dominated by left-wing parties. Soviets were occasionally able to rival the Provisional Government which had an ineffective state apparatus.
The Decree stated, General Kornilov Coup is suppressed. However, the turmoil that he spread in the ranks of the army and the country is great. Once again, there is a great danger that threatens the fate of the country and its freedom. Considering it necessary to put an end to the uncertainty of political system, keeping in mind the unanimous and enthusiastic recognition of Republican ideas, the Provisional Government announces that the state system of the Russian state is the republican system, and proclaims the Russian Republic. Urgent need for immediate and decisive action to restore the shocked state system prompted the Provisional government to pass the power of governing to five individuals from its staff.
The Provisional Government considers its main objective the restoration of public order and the army’s fighting efficiency. Believing that only the concentration of all the living forces of the country can help the Motherland out of the difficulty it is in, the Provisional Government will seek to expand its membership by attracting to its ranks all those who consider eternal and general interests of the country more important than temporary and particular needs of certain parties or classes. The Provisional Government has no doubt that this task will be implemented by it in the coming days.
The government of the Russian Republic was dissolved after the Bolsheviks seized power by force on November 7 in 1917. Nonetheless, a partially democratic election of the Constituent Assembly still took place later in November. On January 18 in 1918, this assembly issued a decree, proclaiming Russia a democratic federal republic, but had also been dissolved by the Bolsheviks on the next day after the proclamation.
The Bolsheviks also used the name ‘Russian Republic’ until the official name ‘Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic’ was adopted in the Constitution of July 1918. The term is sometimes used erroneously for the period between the abdication of the Emperor Nicholas II on March 16 in 1917 and the declaration of the Republic on September 14. However, during that period the status of the Russian political system was unresolved, left up to be decided by a future elected Constituent Assembly.
