ABSTRACT
The Russian Federation of Socialist Soviet Republics, commonly referred to as the RSFSR, had been formed early in 1918. The effect of this policy was the construction by the end of 1922 of the political entity officially known as the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics. In order to avoid breaks in the narrative no mention has been made of the progressive modification of the economic system since the initial measures of the Third Congress of Soviets taken soon after the "October" Revolution. The progress of reconstruction was slow because, in the first place, the Soviet system was feeling its way along uncharted courses, and because, in the second place, foreign countries were only willing to contribute very slender financial assistance. The Russian Empire was being reconstituted in a new form, with wider and more dangerous ambitions than it had ever had under any Tzar, but strikingly similar in many aspects of its foreign policy.
