CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION.

To get a clear picture of the conditions that produced the revolution, it is necessary to remember that from a very early period the German-born Czarina and the clique of pro-German reactionaries whom her influence made powerful with the Czar, were bent on ending the war prematurely in the interests of reaction.  The Ministers set up under these auspices for over two years acted in defiance of public opinion.  Their policy was not obscure:  they hampered the army in respect of munitions, disorganized the country in respect of its distributive services, brought about artificial famine in a land which is one of the world’s chief food-producers, and themselves, through police agents, sought to stir up abortive revolts in order that they might plead military failure and internal revolution as a reason for withdrawing from the war.

The Russian people foiled them for a long time by magnificent and much-enduring patriotism.  When the government left the army without munitions, the local authorities—­the zemstvos and unions of towns—­stepped in and organized their supply.  When police agents tried to bring about riots and strikes, the workmen’s own leaders prevented their breaking out.  When secret negotiations were opened up with Germany, the Duma blasted them by public exposure on the popular side.

The Duma’s demand for sympathetic and really national government was enforced, first by the Council of the Empire, normally the stronghold of high officialdom, and then by the Congress of Nobles, which represents the landed aristocracy.

But with the nobility, much of the bureaucracy, the army, the navy, the Duma, the professional classes, and the working classes all ranged against them, the “dark forces” of the empire held obstinately on their way.  The murder of the court favorite, the infamous monk Rasputin, only intensified the reaction, though its story and sequel showed significantly how far many members of the Imperial family were from supporting the reigning head and his consort in the policy which was jeopardizing the dynasty.  But the Czar’s political blindness was incurable.  In a kind of panic he got rid of every remaining progressive minister; a nonentity of no importance from the Czar’s personal circle was made prime minister, and the real power fell to Protopopoff, the strong man of the “dark forces,” who was to see their designs through, but was the first victim of the popular uprising.  As minister of the interior he defied all Russia, precipitated the revolution, and in his violent death the career of the “dark forces” in Russia was ended, no doubt for all time.

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