After the February Revolution and the overthrow of the tsar, monarchist Russia passed into the status of a "republic". The provisional government (as the new authorities called themselves) shouldered the entire burden of government. By that time, many parties had appeared that had followers and put forward their own program for the further restructuring of the state apparatus. In order to hold worthy elections, the Provisional Government organizes a Constituent Assembly. The year 1917, among other things, becomes famous for the great turmoil surrounding the preparations for this event. And it was this year that the first vote took place. The parties that stood out the most were:
- SRs;
- Bolsheviks;
- Mensheviks;
- Cadets.
The 1917 Constituent Assembly elections began with preparations.
Preparing for elections
Representatives of all existing parties and all kinds of associations participated in the preparation. The printing house produced large editions of literature, leaflets, propaganda posters and other things. Polls were conducted on the streets. Various performances were also held with the aim ofto acquaint the people with the policy of a particular party.
The event promised to be democratic. What was not until now in the Russian Empire. Any citizen of 20 years of age or a person serving in the army at the age of 18 could become a voter. Women could also vote. What was a curiosity not only in Russia, but also in most countries. The exceptions were Denmark, New Zealand, Norway and some states of America, where women have established equal rights with men.
Voting
The 1917 Constituent Assembly elections were held in several constituencies into which the country was divided. The deputy quota was allocated at the rate of one per two hundred thousand people. The only exception was Siberia. The local calculation was carried out on the basis of one in one hundred and seventy-nine thousand people.
The principle of proportionality, characteristic of the selection to the Constituent Assembly in 1917, was borrowed from the Belgians. And the main feature of this system was considered that, in addition to the majority, a minority of the population is also allowed. To do this, about twelve districts were organized in small districts with their characteristic majority system of elections.
Elections to the Constituent Assembly of 1917 were held in November. This event lasted no more than three days.
Election results
At the end of the elections to the Constituent Assembly in 1917, the results showed that the Socialist-Revolutionaries were in the lead, with about 50% of the vote. In second place were the Bolsheviks. Their percentage of votesexceeded and 25. In the lower places were the Mensheviks and the Cadets.
About 44.5 million people voted in total.
Liquidation of the Cadets Party
The Bolsheviks, under public pressure, did not prevent the elections to the Constituent Assembly in 1917, but were defeated there. In order to somehow reduce the number of their competitors, they prepared a decree, subsequently approved by the Council of People's Commissars and stating that the Cadets Party is the party of enemies of the people. After that, the Cadets were deprived of their mandates.
Then they were arrested and shot. The Left Socialist-Revolutionaries wanted to come to their aid, but the Council of People's Commissars completely forbade them to do this, referring to the same decree. Later, Kokoshkin, the leader of the Kadet Party, was killed. The Constituent Assembly (1917) passed without the presence of the Cadets. In addition to Kokoshkin, Deputy Shingarev, the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, was shot the same night.
Dispersal of the Constituent Assembly, or "The guard is tired"
After a series of repressions against figures from other parties, the Bolsheviks made a loud statement in one of the newspapers. The Pravda newspaper at that time spoke in detail about the activities of the deputies included in the Constituent Assembly (1917). In Russia, this newspaper was the most popular. What was the surprise when it published a statement by the leaders of the Bolsheviks, threatening to consolidate their power by revolutionary actions, if such was not recognized at the meeting.
Nevertheless, the meeting took place. Lenin's declaration "on the working people" did not receive recognition, which led to the fact that at three o'clock in the morning the Bolsheviks left the Tauride Palace, where the meeting was held. An hour later, the Left SRs also left behind them. The remaining parties, with the chairman Chernov elected by a majority vote, adopted documents relating to:
- law on land as public property;
- negotiating with warring powers;
- proclamation of Russia as a democratic republic.
However, none of these documents was adopted by the Bolsheviks. Moreover, the next day, not one of the deputies who decided them was allowed into the Tauride Palace. The meeting itself was dispersed by the anarchist sailor Zheleznyakov with the words "I will ask you to stop the meeting, the guard is tired and wants to sleep." This phrase has gone down in history.
Consequences
Neither the elections for deputies, nor the convocation of the Constituent Assembly in 1917 led to nothing. Everything was already predetermined by the Bolsheviks. The meeting itself was approved by them for demonstrative purposes.
Further actions of the meeting participants unleashed a revolutionary situation in the country.
Despite the fact that the right-wing parties of the Constituent Assembly were banned, the purpose of the White movement was a new convocation and holding of the Constituent Assembly, but not the one that the sailor Zheleznyak stopped. Since the first (it is also the last) Constituent Assembly in its entiretycontrolled by the Bolsheviks.
