Bolshevist Russia

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Bolshevist Russia is a common term that refers to the Red side in the Russian Civil War, or more specifically the Russian government between the Bolsheviks' October Revolution (November 7, 1917) and the constitution of the Soviet Union (December 30, 1922).

The official name of the country was the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. Strictly speaking, there is a small time gap between the October Revolution and the declaration of the RSFSR (and a still larger gap to its first Constitution, in 1918). In describing this gap, the term Bolshevist Russia is particularly useful.

Bolshevist Russia ought to be distinguished from Soviet Russia. While both terms are informal, the latter one has a much wider historical frame. Also, strictly speaking, they differ geographically: in 1917-1922: the Bolsheviks controlled a much smaller territory than that of the future Soviet Union.