To convert to Bolshevism or communist ideology, or to cause a place or group to adopt communist principles.
From 'Bolshevik' plus the suffix '-ize' meaning 'to make or become.' The verb form emerged in the 1920s as communism spread internationally and people feared 'bolshevization' of their societies.
During the 1920s-1930s, Western politicians and newspapers used the term 'bolshevize' like a scary threat—it represented existential fear of communist spread and shows how language reflects historical anxiety.
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