The reaction of Tomsk Province population to the overthrow of autocracy (March - April, 1917)

By the year 1917, Tomsk Province was the biggest among the Siberian regions. It was second largest by population in the country after Kiev Province. The population was multinational and although 91.5% of it was made up by Russians, Ukrainians and Belorussians, there were indigenous peoples of Siberia and resettled ethnic minorities living on this territory as well. The differences in the economic status, educational and cultural level between those groups of the population largely defined their attitude toward the overthrow of autocracy. The powerful democratic upsurge during the first days of March 1917 resulted in the formation of local self-governing bodies, offices of political parties, councils, mass public organizations. Committees that emerged at the initiative of the masses at the time constituted the first truly democratic local authorities. They included representatives of all the population strata, organizations and institutions. Initially, they were formed on a multiparty basis and embodied the idea of a wide democratic coalition. Following the overthrow of autocracy left wing parties got legitimized and liberals became more active. In Tomsk Province, as elsewhere in the country, there was a rapid rise of party organizations growing in size and number. Party representatives started to involve with the activities of local authorities and public organizations. The Social Democrats and Social Revolutionaries enjoyed most of the popularity. They acted as a united front for the broadening of democratic reforms and, to a great extent, represented social expectations. Public organizations started to play a more active role in life of the province. By 1917, they numbered 250 within the province, 155 of them situated in the regional centre and 25 - in Novonikolaevsk. The bourgeoisie also became active, with its top acting through exchange committees and merchant communities. The February Revolution triggered a massive rise of national consciousness. During the first days of March 1917, national Diasporas of Siberia held meetings and established organizations of their own. The cooperation of different political powers willing to put into effect the idea of social peace was best seen through the example of public safety committees (KOB). Since March, there was a massive labour movement rising in the province. And since April, workers from district centres and remote villages started to get ever more involved in the development of trade unions. Along with that though, from the second half of March 1917, inter-party differences started to grow and they first manifested themselves in the relationship between the Socialists and the Cadets. One of the most significant indicators of social activity in Tomsk Province was the conduct of congresses, conferences and meetings. The overthrow of autocracy generated hopes for a better life among the main social strata and groups of Tomsk Province population. However, at the very early stage of the Revolution the differences in social expectations became obvious.

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