The February Revolution in Petrograd

The Soviet gave the movement a representative political form. Exam tip: understand organisation and representation together.

Workers were linked with production and soldiers with repressive power. Exam tip: write the combined role of class and army.

The commanders' advice shows the seriousness of the Tsarist crisis. Exam tip: see it as background to abdication.

The Provisional Government was formed before a permanent constitutional arrangement. Exam tip: understand the importance of the word provisional.

Removal of restrictions gave people space for organised political expression. Exam tip: link it with the democratic impact of the February Revolution.

The spread of Soviets indicated demand for popular representation. Exam tip: understand it as politics rising from below.

Soviets formed quickly but their structure was not uniform. Exam tip: remember the instability after February.

Duma and Soviet claimed power from different social bases. Exam tip: understand space and legitimacy together.

Both food and labour problems were bringing people to the streets. Exam tip: write socio-economic crisis as connected.

During the First World War, transport and supply systems were disrupted, causing shortages of bread, fuel and other essentials in Petrograd. Rising prices, long queues and worsening living conditions turned workers’ and citizens’ discontent into strikes and demonstrations. Option B is the opposite of the historical situation: the crisis weakened, rather than strengthened, support for Tsarist rule. Exam tip: connect war, food shortages and popular protest when recalling the causes of the February Revolution.

Women turned everyday crisis into political protest. Exam tip: identify the link between household and public politics.

Workers and soldiers were challenging different bases of power. Exam tip: connect their combined effect with power crisis.

Duma suspension shows political crisis and soldiers' disobedience shows military crisis. Exam tip: connect both together.

Wages and working hours were key issues of labour unrest. Exam tip: connect workers' demands with living conditions.

Protest near power centres made the movement political. Exam tip: connect location with message.

A crisis in the capital directly affected power. Exam tip: understand the capital as the centre of power crisis.

The governing concept is dual power after the February Revolution of 1917. The Tsar abdicated, and a Provisional Government was established as the formal state authority. At the same time, workers’ and soldiers’ Soviets expanded and represented organised popular forces. These institutions did not have identical aims, and their coexistence created an unstable balance of authority often described as dual power. Hence option A correctly identifies both outcomes. Option B is false because the Tsar did not regain power. Options C and D are also incorrect: the revolution did not create combined foreign and church rule, nor did it leave only the army in control.

Soviets showed the desire for participation and representation. Exam tip: understand the difference between power change and representation.

The Provisional Government was not treated as final legitimacy. Exam tip: connect Constituent Assembly with democratic legitimacy.

The February Revolution involved both the weakening of the old authority and the rise of a new representative force. Repression could not stop the protests, and the formation of the Petrograd Soviet gave workers and soldiers an organised body through which they could express demands. These two developments happened together and revealed a transfer of political influence.

Option A is correct because it includes both parts of the situation: the old power was losing control, while a new representative institution was becoming stronger. The other choices contradict the events. The Tsar’s army did not simply become more loyal, the Duma did not turn into a palace, and the public did not withdraw all demands. The combination shows a major political transformation.