Russian Democratization
A history of democratization and democratic slide in Russia.
Contents
Precursors
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire had existed as a sovereign state for centuries.
World War 1
World War 1 destablized the Russian Empire at a time of rising nationalism among all imperial polities.
February Revolution
The February Revolution led to a provisional government that organized elections.
The 1918 Constitution established the short-lived Russian Republic.
October Revolution
The October Revolution preempted the first elections of the Russian Republic. The Bolsheviks seized power and established a Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, a constituent state in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).
Civil War
Anti-Bolshevik separatism erupted across Russia. Many small republics, such as the Don Republic, were established to coordinate the White movement.