Representatives
of 70 Petrograd factories meet with left Bolsheviks, who, in spite of a
worsening economy, continue to urge restraint. The Bolsheviks believed the Coalition
Government would only become weaker as the summer offensive collapsed.
A number of ills
plagued the economy in Petrograd and throughout Russia: inflation, factory
closings, food shortages exacerbated by the disrepair of the railroads’ rolling
stock, and a destabilized ruble. The Coalition Government had been completely
unable to do anything, even to decide what to do. Counter-revolutionary
activity by the Cadet party, army officers, and Cossack organizations was in
evidence, probably aided by the banks and agents of Russia’s allies in the
Entente.
These were the concrete
conditions – less food, less work, rising prices – giving rise to the
revolutionary mood that was, in a matter of weeks, to produce the July Days.
An incident occurred
that reveals this mood. The Executive Committee of the Petrograd Soviet sent a car bearing
a placard with the slogan “Forward with Kerensky!” into the Vyborg workers’
district. It was seized by the Moscow regiment, who tore up the placard and
gave the car to the Machine Gun regiment.
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