origin of the bolshevists dates from a convention of the Russian
Social-Democratic party in 1903, at which time a majority
(_bolshinstvó_) took an extreme stand upon the policies then being
discussed in convention. In the years that followed the bolshevists
became known as the radical or extreme wing of the Russian Social-
Democratic party, as opposed to the menshevists, or moderate wing.

It appears that as early as 1905 the bolshevists planned to secure
control of the Russian government. The opportunity presented itself
during the World War, which Russia had entered early in August, 1914.
In March, 1917, a non-bolshevist group initiated a revolution, which
overthrew the government of the Czar and established a provisional
government under the leadership of Alexander Kerensky. This government
immediately instituted a number of democratic reforms, including the
extension of the suffrage to all men and women who were Russian
citizens. These citizens elected delegates to a constituent assembly,
but at this point the bolshevists, seeing that the voters of Russia
were overwhelmingly against bolshevism, attacked the new government.
The constituent assembly was forcibly dissolved, its defenders
slaughtered, and on November 7, 1917, the bolshevists seized the reins
of government. Thus bolshevism as a government came into being as the
result of suppressing the lawfully expressed will of the Russian
people.

145. THE BOLSHEVIST CONSTITUTION: LIBERAL ELEMENTS.--On July 10, 1918,
the bolshevists adopted a constitution. This remarkable document was a
strange compound of liberal and despotic elements. It made a number of
important promises to the people of Russia, announcing, for example,
that the new government would "put an end to every ill that oppresses
humanity." In pursuit of this ideal, the church was separated from the