Deputies were as we saw exclusively socialistic, and had become mere party
bodies.

In the meantime the democratization of local government bodies was going on
apace, and very successfully in view of the chaotic conditions produced by
revolution and war. As the new local municipal and provincial councils,
elected by universal suffrage, began to convene, the revolutionary
committees and councils were expected gradually to disappear. The elections
for the Constituent Assembly were to take place as soon as the new local
governing bodies could verify and correct the lists of voters. The
Constituent Assembly was to replace definitely not only all revolutionary
councils and committees, but also the Duma, which continued to exist
legally, though without functioning. The main objective of the constructive
elements was to hold the situation together until the Constituent Assembly
could be convened; the date had been advanced, even at a sacrifice of
regularity in election procedure. And a coalition government seemed to be
the only possible solution, despite the difficulties already encountered in
applying the principle.

The councils, the land committees and the other organizations that had come
into existence with and in the course of the revolution were, as we saw,
almost exclusively socialist in their political affiliations. This was true
even of the peasant congresses, though it was generally admitted that
the bulk of the peasantry was not consciously socialistic. Of all
the revolutionary bodies the peasant councils were clearly the least
representative. This was particularly true of the first alleged all-Russian
Peasant Congress. The peasantry, the great mass of the population, became
articulate very slowly. The non-socialist groups were striving to bring
about a more true expression of peasant views; and their moderate program
was making headway, though they found it difficult to compete with the