Power and Opposition in Russia in 1914–February 1917: Why Did the Dialogue Not Take Place?

The article is devoted to the political interaction of the supreme power, government circles, and the public during the First World War (before February 1917). The issues of the formation of this interaction on the eve of the war, development in the mainstream of the “sacred union” of 1914, “patriotic anxiety” of 1915, “parallelism of actions” of 1916, and the “storm of power” at the turn of 1916–1917 are considered. The author comes to the conclusion that the supreme power and the government as a whole were inclined to an agreement, striving to maintain national unity during the war. The public increased its demands, considering its domestic political tasks more important than foreign policies. The split of the elites became an important reason for the February Revolution.