After the February Revolution of 1917, the Provisional Government came to power, which lasted from early March to late October. At first, the new authority enjoyed very high confidence and authority among the population and political parties (except for the Bolshevik). However, the most important, agrarian, issue of the Provisional Government was never resolved, because of which it lost support, and was overthrown quite easily.
Land inheritance
To resolve the land issue under the government, the Main Land Committee was created, most of whose work was built on the party programs of the cadets. The Committee declared a reform that was aimed at transferring agricultural land to peasants for use. Defaultit was assumed that the terms of the transfer could be either confiscation or alienation. The latter caused the main controversy: to alienate with or without a ransom. Despite the obvious disagreement, nevertheless, the authorities did not discuss this problem at the official level.
So, why did the Provisional Government delay the solution of the agrarian issue? The reasons should be sought in the first place in the composition of the government itself. Very many representatives of the Kadet Party, who were members of the main power body, themselves had large land plots, which they were not ready to part with.
Key provisions of the reform
It was decided to prevent the fragmentation of plots that provide essential products, production facilities, as well as the plots of those landowners who gave out large crops and had high productivity rates. As a result, large farms were supposed to be left to their owners.
In general, the reform stipulated the possibility of land alienation, but the peasants had to pay an unaffordable ransom for this. In addition, land could be obtained mainly by those who already had their own household. At the same time, large allotments remained with their owners if the land use provided by them was twice the average private subsidiary plot.
Why did the Provisional Government delay the solution of the agrarian issue?
The explanation lies in the authorities' fear of shaking the foundations of private property. Therefore, take serious measureswhich would in any case violate the rights of landowners, no one dared. Do not forget that Russia at that time was an active participant in the First World War. A huge part of the officers one way or another owned large land plots. They did not risk disturbing those who led the army: this could have turned into disastrous consequences.
At the same time, an imitation of the solution was nevertheless undertaken. Thus, two resolutions were issued. According to the first (“On the protection of crops”), landowners were obliged to lease unoccupied plots to those who intended to sow them. The second provided for the creation of land committees, whose main function was to prepare for agrarian reform. They were created in 30% of the provinces of the European part of Russia. The presence of the latter did not suit the government very much. However, the understanding of the growing civic position among the peasants forced them to make concessions, while the authorities hoped that they would be able to use them for their own purposes. The implementation of the reform itself was endlessly postponed. They tried to shift this function to the Constituent Assembly, which they could not convene in any way.
Peasant discord
The Bolsheviks named their reasons why the Provisional Government delayed the solution of the agrarian issue, and skillfully used them, heating up the already flammable situation. The country began to be shaken by spontaneous rallies of peasants who demanded laws that would ensure their land rights. Government regulations were interpreted very broadly,so much so that it came to a simple seizure of land and their division among the peasants. The latter demanded communal land use, in which there would be no individual farmers.
The immaturity of the authorities in resolving this issue led to the fact that in the autumn natural socialization of the land began - the taking away of allotments from the landowners. The first Provisional Government was unable to cope with the process of redistribution that was growing like a snowball. It was in these circumstances that the slogans of the Bolsheviks came in handy. Experts, analyzing the reasons why the Provisional Government delayed the solution of the agrarian issue, agree that everything came down not only to the fear of losing control, but there was also their own "selfish" interest.
