Kerensky - Aleksandr Fyodorovich Kerensky

Russian politician and Prime Minister of the Provisional Government during the Russian Revolution. Graduated from the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University in 1904. Active as a lawyer in political cases, he was elected to the Fourth Duma in 1912, where he belonged to the Trudoviki (Labor Party) and became its leader. During World War I, he took a stance of defending the Fatherland. Known for his eloquence, he became Deputy Chairman of the Petrograd Soviet, which was formed after the February Revolution, and was the only Soviet member to join the Cabinet as Minister of Justice in the Provisional Government with Prince Lvov as Prime Minister. After the February Revolution, he joined the Socialist Revolutionaries (SRs). He later became Minister of Army and Navy in the first coalition government, and tried to persuade soldiers to "war for peace," but failed. He became Prime Minister in the second and third coalition governments. Although he accepted the right-wing advocates of officer authority and strengthening military discipline, centered around Supreme Commander Kornilov, he could not ignore the Soviets' wishes and tried to proceed with the suppression of mass movements cautiously. With the help of the Soviets, Kerensky crushed the Kornilov Rebellion, which arose out of dissatisfaction with this, and thereafter served as Supreme Commander, but was unable to resolve issues such as the war, bread, and land, and lost the support of the masses. When Lenin and others supported by the Soviets seized power in the October Revolution, Kerensky escaped the capital to gain soldiers for the front line, and attacked the capital with Krasnov's army, but was defeated, and went into exile in France in 1918. In 1940, he went to the United States. After his exile, he wrote and compiled memoirs and historical documents about the Russian Revolution.

[Kazuo Fujimoto]

"Russia and the Turning Point of History: Kerensky's Memoirs" (translated by Yasuo Kurata et al., 1977, Kobunsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ロシアの政治家、ロシア革命時の臨時政府首相。1904年にペテルブルグ大学法学部卒業。政治事件関係の弁護士として活躍、1912年の第4国会で議員に選ばれ、トルドビキ（勤労派）に所属、その指導者となる。第一次世界大戦中は祖国防衛の立場をとる。雄弁をもって知られ、二月革命で結成されたペトログラード・ソビエトの副議長となるとともに、リボフ公を首相とする臨時政府の司法大臣として、ソビエトからただ1人入閣した。二月革命後はエスエル（社会革命党）に所属。その後、第一次連立政府の陸海軍相となり、「平和のための戦争」を兵士に説得したが、失敗に終わる。第二次、第三次連立政府では首相となる。彼は、最高司令官コルニーロフを中心とした右派の主張する将校権限や軍律強化を認めつつも、ソビエトの意向をも無視できず、大衆運動に対する弾圧は慎重に進めようとした。これを不満として起こったコルニーロフの反乱を、ソビエトの力を借りて粉砕し、以後は最高司令官を兼任するが、戦争、パン、土地などの問題を解決できず、大衆の支持を失った。十月革命によってソビエトに拠(よ)るレーニンらが権力を握ると、ケレンスキーは前線の兵士を獲得するため首都を脱出、クラスノーフ軍とともに首都を攻撃したが敗北し、1918年フランスへ亡命。1940年にはアメリカに渡った。亡命後はロシア革命の回想録や史料集の執筆、編纂(へんさん)にあたった。

［藤本和貴夫］

『倉田保雄他訳『ロシアと歴史の転換点――ケレンスキー回顧録』（1977・恒文社）』

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