Nationalities

• Rural populations tended to identify with local, not national, loyalties.

  • Finland and Poland = history of nationhood
  • Muslim Areas = pan-Islamism and cultural autonomy but control of Russian state
  • Ukraine = nationality mixed with social concerns of peasants rebelling against Polish and Russian landowners
• Liberals wanted to maintain the integrity of the Russian state.

  Esp Kadets

  SRs were more open to national demands
• First All Russian Congress of Soviets in June 1917

  • resolution was passed recognising the principle of self-determination, but leaving action to the CA
• Third Coalition Cabinet issued a statement formally recognising a right to self-determination, but only based on CA

  • Bolshs were more accommodating to the nationalities - internationalist ideology
• Ukraine compromised 22% of Russia's population, resources of grain coal and iron, and on border with Germany and Austria-Hungary
• Feb Rev caused the organisation of the Central Rada, dominated by SRs and Soc Dems, called for autonomous Ukraine

  • sent a delegation to Petrograd in May 1917 calling for PG support
  • June = issued declaration calling for Free Ukraine
  • PG sent a delegation to Ukraine including Kerensky
• PG made concessions to Ukraine, allowing a degree of self-government, released on July 2, provoking a crisis in PG as Kadet ministers resigned
• Ukrainian nationalism was fragmented

  • urban centres dominated by Poles and Russians
  • peasants mostly Ukrainians
• By Autumn of 1917, Central Rada represented most Ukrainian national sentiment

  January 1918, declared full independence
• Finland historically enjoyed more autonomy than other nationalities
• Finland accepted Russia's temporary right to control military and foreign affairs

  • PG said Fin's status could only be governed by CA
  • Kerensky openly threatened them
• 5 July, Finnish Parliament passed a law declaring Finnish sovereignty

  • PG forced parliament to dissolve
  • All major parties, including Swedish ones, wanted independence
  • Only Bolshs supported them in Russia
• Finland was facing a class divide as workers demanded better economic conditions

  • In summer, became so militant that they formed Red Guards Units and conservative elites formed a Home Guard
  • Finland on brink of civil war
• Finland declared Finnish independence October 19
• Estonia and Latvia had no history of an independent state but wanted administrative boundaries to be drawn on ethnic lines

  • Latvia and Estonia were formed as separate districts, concession made
• In Estonia, elected assembly Maapaev pushed for more independence and relations w PG deteriorated

  25 Sept, called for autonomous Estonia

  • Estonians not united
• In Lativa the Bolsh dominated Social Democrat party became dominant

  • b/c Latvian Germans, Jews, Russians made up the upper classes and Latvians were mostly peasants
  • More industrialised area, peasants landless
  • Riga was captured Sept 1917 by Germans
  • Latvian riflemen were key supporters of Bolshs
• Islamic areas did not have a high sense of national identity.

  • supported Feb Rev and wanted more cultural autonomy
• Divisions developed between modern minded nationalists who saw the Feb Rev as a chance for Pan-Islamism and the traditional religious leadership.
• Armenia - Impact of 1915 Turkish genocide and fear of Turkish attack made Armenians support Russia
• In Georgia, Menshs already had popularity, appealed to peasants who resented the Armenian middle class and Russian officials
• Jews were split politically, no uniform voice emerged

  • 3.5 mill concentrated in Pale
  • 2 mill concentrated in Poland and Lithuania
• Feb Rev removed govt oppression of Jews and many assumed local and government posts.

  • 20% of Executive Committee of Petrograd Soviet was Jewish, including Trotsky