This article is concerned with the de-legitimating tactics used against Aleksandr Fedorovich Kerensky. It draws on both expert political assessments and a considerable quantity of rumours. Journalism, political resolutions, and letters and diaries written by people of different views are examined for negative representations of Kerensky that are associated with allegations of ‘betrayal’, ‘treachery’ or ‘moral degeneracy’ during his time in the Winter Palace. Such negative representations were informed by both the European republican tradition and the patriotic mobilization, which portrayed the residences of enemy heads of state during the First World War as hotbeds of corruption, treason and depravity. For example, in 1917 rumours about Nicholas II, the empress Aleksandra Fedorovna and Rasputin became a conspicuous element of mass culture. In Kerensky’s case, negative representations had begun to spread in connection with the preparations for the June Offensive, but they proliferated in July when he became head of the Provisional Government and especially when the seat of the government was moved to the Winter Palace. Kerensky was compared to the former emperor and rumoured to be enjoying the trappings of imperial power, engaging in amoral behaviour and using narcotic substances. There were also implausible rumours that the head of the government was a traitor. Such rumours were spread publicly by Kerensky’s opponents on right and left alike in a sign of the Provisional Government’s growing political isolation. This period (Kerenshchina) repelled parties that both were opposed to one another and favoured resolving the crisis by violent means, social compromise became harder to achieve and the slide to civil war gained momentum.

本文关注的是针对亚历山大·费多罗维奇·克伦斯基所使用的非法化策略。它借鉴了专家的政治评估和大量的谣言。新闻、政治决议以及不同观点的人写的信件和日记都被检查是否对克伦斯基的负面描述与他在冬宫期间的“背叛”、“背叛”或“道德堕落”的指控有关。欧洲共和传统和爱国动员都传达了这种负面表述，后者将第一次世界大战期间敌国元首的住所描绘成腐败、叛国和堕落的温床。例如，1917 年有关尼古拉二世、亚历山德拉·费多罗夫娜和拉斯普京的传闻成为大众文化的显着元素。在克伦斯基的案例中，与准备六月攻势有关的负面言论开始蔓延，但在他成为临时政府首脑的 7 月，尤其是当政府所在地移至冬宫时，负面言论激增。克伦斯基被比作前皇帝，据传他享受皇权的服饰，从事不道德的行为并使用麻醉品。也有令人难以置信的谣言，说政府首脑是叛徒。克伦斯基的左翼和右翼反对者都公开散布此类谣言，表明临时政府在政治上日益孤立。这一时期 （但是当他成为临时政府首脑时，特别是当政府所在地搬到冬宫时，它们在七月激增。克伦斯基被比作前皇帝，据传他享受皇权的服饰，从事不道德的行为并使用麻醉品。也有令人难以置信的谣言，说政府首脑是叛徒。克伦斯基的左翼和右翼反对者都公开散布此类谣言，表明临时政府在政治上日益孤立。这一时期 （但是当他成为临时政府首脑时，特别是当政府所在地搬到冬宫时，它们在七月激增。克伦斯基被比作前皇帝，据传他享受皇权的服饰，从事不道德的行为并使用麻醉品。也有令人难以置信的谣言，说政府首脑是叛徒。克伦斯基的左翼和右翼反对者都公开散布此类谣言，表明临时政府在政治上日益孤立。这一时期 （也有令人难以置信的谣言，说政府首脑是叛徒。克伦斯基的左翼和右翼反对者都公开散布此类谣言，表明临时政府在政治上日益孤立。这一时期 （也有令人难以置信的谣言，说政府首脑是叛徒。克伦斯基的左翼和右翼反对者都公开散布此类谣言，表明临时政府在政治上日益孤立。这一时期 （Kerenshchina ) 击退了彼此对立的政党，赞成以暴力手段解决危机，社会妥协变得更难实现，滑向内战的势头得到加强。