In the early days of the Soviet state (before Lenin was incapacitated) the Bolsheviks were flush with victory and assumed the entire world would ultimately be communist, so they kicked a lot of perceived political enemies out of Russia. Visible and active enemies were executed, but people who were deemed "subversive elements" (i.e., passive enemies and people who were just in the wrong class) were often just forced onto a steamer bound for Constantinople or Germany (depending on the port of exit).

The policy quickly changed.