What do wars, abdications, and revolutions have in common? This lecture is like a time machine that takes us back to an era where political parties were not just participants but the driving force of change. Listeners can expect an exciting dive into the twists and turns of the early 20th century - with vivid facts, intrigues, and fateful decisions. Revolutions rarely happen suddenly - they often brew against a backdrop of losses, disappointments, and seemingly irreversible dead ends. It is at such a moment in Russian history that the First Revolution ends and a deep political lull begins. But then comes 1914, and with World War I, high politics returns to the country. It is then that parties, politicians, and parliamentarians re-enter the arena. In the lecture "On the Ruins of Autocracy," participants will be transported to a pivotal era - from naive expectations of reforms to the last chapter of the Russian Empire. Why do those who recently supported the monarchy suddenly advocate for the abdication of Nicholas II? How do the Cadets, having gained power, lose it so quickly? And why was the State Duma simultaneously influential and helpless? The lecturer - political scientist Igor Grekov, known for his vivid stories about Russian revolutions, will help unravel the intricacies of party struggles, the twists of behind-the-scenes power, and how the history of one parliament can reflect an entire era. His lectures are not just a listing of facts but a true intellectual journey through destinies, ideologies, and political catastrophes. The event is suitable for anyone interested in the history of Russia, political processes, revolutions, and the personalities who stood at the forefront of change. This is a rare chance to understand more deeply how empires are born and die, and why the past sometimes sounds alarmingly relevant. We share ideas on where to go in St. Petersburg this weekend.