ministerial leapfrog (ministerskaya chekharda)
미니스테르스카야 체하르다 (장관 도약)
A term for the abnormally rapid turnover of ministers in the Russian Empire during the final phase of World War I. While Nicholas II was at the front, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Grigori Rasputin presided over four Prime Ministers, five Interior Ministers, three Foreign Ministers, three War Ministers, and three Transport Ministers (twenty-four ministerial changes) in seventeen months. Coined by Vladimir Purishkevich in a Duma speech on 19 November 1916, the phrase came to symbolize the paralysis and discredit of the tsarist regime on the eve of the February Revolution.
Sources
- Wikipedia (EN) February Revolution article: 'In the seventeen months of the Tsarina's rule, from September 1915 to February 1917, Russia had four Prime Ministers, five Ministers of the Interior, three Foreign Ministers, three War Ministers, three Ministers of Transport and four Ministers of Agriculture. This ministerial leapfrog, as it came to be known, not only removed competent men from power, but also disorganized the work of government.'
- Wikipedia (EN) State Duma article: 'On 19 November, Vladimir Purishkevich, one of the founders of the Black Hundreds, gave a speech in the Duma. He declared the monarchy had become discredited because of what he called the ministerial leapfrog.'
- Wikipedia (RU) Russian Wikipedia on chekharda: the children's game of leapfrog; figuratively, frequent chaotic changes and reshuffles (e.g. ministerskaya chekharda).
- Wikipedia (RU) Russian WWI article: 'Стала набирать обороты печально известная министерская чехарда, а с ней недоверие к высшим эшелонам власти со стороны общества.'
- encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net 1914-1918 International Encyclopedia: details Alexandra's role supporting seven of twenty-eight appointments between September 1915 and January 1917.
- britannica.com Britannica: Purishkevich biography confirming his role as a Duma deputy and the coiner of the term.