All-Russian Council of Soviets

The All-Russian Conference of Soviets is the first all-Russian meeting of representatives of the Soviets of Workers 'and Soldiers' Deputies after the February Revolution of 1917 . March 29 (April 11) - April 3 (16), 1917. The meeting was attended by 480 delegates from 139 Soviets, 13 rear military units, 7 active armies and 26 separate units of the front.

The meeting was opened by the chairman of the Petrograd Menshevik N. S. Chkheidze , the presidium was elected as part of N. S. Chkheidze, M. I. Skobelev , I. G. Tsereteli , M. K. Muranova, L. M. Khinchuk, V. P. Nogin , B.O. Bogdanov , M.D. Romm, A.R. Gotz, I.A. Theodorovich, A.G. Shlyapnikov , V.Z. Zavadie.

The meeting was the first significant step in formalizing the Soviets spontaneously arising during the February Revolution into a single all-Russian system. It determined the principles for the organization of local councils ^[1] .

Based on the results of its work, the Conference elected a new composition of the Executive Committee of the Petrosoviet , which became the highest Soviet authority until the convocation of the I All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers 'and Soldiers' Deputies , which elected the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Soviets of Workers 'and Soldiers' Deputies (VTsIK) . Also, the Conference elected the Organizing Bureau to convene the First Congress itself.

The composition of the Conference participants was dominated by the Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks ^[2] . In their resolution, delegates endorsed the course towards continued participation of Russia in the World War (“defense”), supporting the Provisional Government’s policy on this subject, subject to “abandoning captive aspirations”. At the same time, the resolution “On the war” noted that the Soviets “call on all the peoples of both allied and warring countries to exert pressure on their governments to abandon their conquest programs” ^[2] .

On the land issue, the Meeting declared support at a future Constituent Assembly for the project of transferring privately owned land to peasants “with the exception of possessions not exceeding the maximum standards”, however, until the meeting was convened, the delegates refused to further discuss the land issue (“non-commitment”) and condemned its spontaneous seizures. On a working matter, the Meeting recognized the need to introduce an eight-hour working day, but refused to support the workers in setting such a day in an explicit manner.

In the resolution on the economic situation of the country, delegates called on the Provisional Government

... to solve two urgent tasks: 1) systematically regulate the entire economic life of the country, organizing all production, exchange, movement and consumption under the direct control of the state; 2) to alienate [from the word “alienation”] all superprofits in favor of nations and limit all types of capitalist income to strictly defined norms. The working class must be provided with decent living and working conditions.

The Bolshevik faction in the Conference was represented by L. B. Kamenev . On March 30 (April 12), on behalf of the Bolsheviks, Kamenev proposed a resolution to end the war, however, it collected only 57 votes in favor, while 325 against. On April 2 (15), Kamenev called on the moderate Socialists who supported the Provisional Government to heed the recommendation of G. V. Plekhanov and enter this government themselves.

On the last day of the Conference, on April 3 (16), V.I. Lenin arrived in exile from Petrograd, on April 4 (17) announced at the meeting of the Bolshevik delegates of the Conference his “ April Theses ” ( see also The Struggle Around the April Theses) Lenin ).