Abstract. The article examines the causes and scale of the food crisis in the Orel province
in 1917 — on the eve and during two revolutions. The factors of scarcity and high cost of
basic foodstuffs, which caused serious dissatisfaction of the population, are analysed. It was
found that the efforts of local authorities to provide food to citizens through administrative
methods of price regulation proved ineffective in the conditions under consideration. The
author concludes that the city and provincial authorities had weak opportunities to preserve
political and economic stability in the region.
Keywords: food crisis, essential foodstuffs, shortage of workers, speculation, shortage,
February Revolution, October Revolution
