What was a primary characteristic of the early Bolshevik movement in Russia?

The early Bolshevik movement in Russia was defined by its strong support for immediate revolution. The Bolsheviks, led by figures like Vladimir Lenin, believed that the existing socio-economic conditions in Russia—marked by immense inequality and discontent among the working class—necessitated an urgent change. Their ideology centered around the idea that a proletarian revolution could swiftly overthrow the bourgeois capitalist class, thereby establishing a socialist state.

This emphasis on immediate action differentiated the Bolsheviks from many other factions of the time, particularly the Mensheviks, who advocated a more gradual approach to achieving socialism through reform and a broader base of support. The Bolsheviks rejected such incremental strategies, believing they could seize power quickly and effectively mobilize the masses toward revolution. Their commitment to an immediate and decisive socialist uprising was instrumental in their eventual success during the 1917 October Revolution, leading to the establishment of a Bolshevik government in Russia.

As a result, the movement's foundational ideology was intensely revolutionary rather than reformist or conservative, which aligns with the identification of their primary characteristic as a push for immediate revolution.