Leon Trotsky, originally known as Lev Davidovich Bronstein, was born November 7th in the year 1879. Born to a Jewish-Russian family of wealthy but illiterate farmers, he was sent to school in Odessa by age nine. Although he was enrolled in a German school, during his studies there the school was “Russified” during the Imperial Government’s policy of Russification. The environment of the town of Odessa contributed greatly to the development of Trotsky’s revolutionary ideas and his international outlook. Later on in his life, by 1896, he quickly became involved in revolutionary activities after moving to the harbor town of Nkdayev. As a narodnik, also known as a revolutionary populist, he was first introduced to Marxism, but disliked the core …show more content…
In the summer of 1902, urged by his wife, he escaped from Siberia hidden in between a loaf of hay on a wagon, and then immigrated to London to write for Iskra. Once he had arrived to London he officially changed his last name to Trotsky, abandoning his former surname of Bronstein. Historians have said that this change to Trotsky was an adopted name from a jailer in Odessa. Under the alias of Pero (meaning feather or pen in Russian) quickly rose to become a leading writer for Iskra alongside Georgi Plekhanov, Vladimir Lenin, and Julius Martov. Shortly after Trotsky’s employment at the paper, it split into two sanctions, the Bolsheviks, which argued for a smaller but disciplined party, while the Mensheviks, argued for a larger and less discipline party, the latter which Trotsky supported. Later on, Trotsky left the Mensheviks over their insistence on an alliance with Russian liberals and their opposition to reconciliation with Lenin and the Bolsheviks. Between the years of 1904 and 1917, he spent most of his time trying to reconcile different groups within the party, which resulted in many clashes with Lenin and other prominent party …show more content…
Later on, even after almost all members of his opposition had denounced themselves, he refused to separate himself from the movement so he was exiled officially in 1929. Although he was no longer apart of the society, he continued to oppose the Stalinist bureaucracy, even writing books about the topic. This very act, although brave, paid the ultimate price, when Spanish-born Soviet agent Ramon Mercader attacked Trotsky in his study. Even though Trotsky put up a valiant fight, he later succumbed to his injuries in a hospital on August the 20th of 1940. The legacy of Leon Trotsky is composed of the branch of Marxism known and Trotskyism, a strong opposition of Stalinism, and his political discourse to this day. Lastly, it’s important to note that although his books are now allowed to be sold in Russia, he was one of the few Soviet political figures who were not rehabilitated by the government under Nikita
“Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in ancient Greek republics: Freedom for slave owners” (Lenin). Lenin was founder of the Russian Communist Party, leader of the Bolshevik Revolution, and architect and first head of the Soviet state. He was also the inspiration for ‘Leninism” which was conjoined with Marx's work to create Marxism-Leninism. He has been regarded as one of the greatest revolutionary leaders and thinkers since Marx. Vladimir Lenin was an important Russian leader that helped shape Russian society to what it is now.
Vladimir I. Lenin was a driving force behind the Russian Revolution of 1917 and became the first great dictator of the Soviet Union. After his brother was executed in 1887 (for plotting to kill the Czar), Lenin gave up studying law and became a full time revolutionary. He studied Karl Marx and formed workers' groups, but was arrested and exiled to Siberia in 1895. In 1900 he went to Europe, and in 1903 he led the Bolsheviks in the split of the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' party. When revolution broke out in Russia in 1917, he led the Bolsheviks to control the government. Lenin had complete political control over the Union of Soviet
When Lenin lived, he was the second most powerful man in the nation. He lost leadership to Stalin and was murdered by Stalin’s men in Mexico. Just like the world controllers in the Brave New World, Trotsky believed that everyone must fulfill their duty toward the nation so the nation could prosper. In the BNW, the society would not function if the citizens didn’t do their roles.
Trotsky had one great weakness which led to his downfall; he was unpopular. The other Communist leaders were united by their dislike of Trotsky. They resented his earlier non-Bolshevik past and his sudden rise with the party after 1917. Many other Bolsheviks also hated Trotsky, because of the fact that he had been a Menshevik. Therefore Trotsky had no real allies to help him secure power, and always had people plotting against him. An example of this is when Zinoviev and Kamenev decided that they should take over as the new leaders. They decided to use Stalin and his control of party organisation to help them, and these three formed the Triumvirate. This ultimately prevented Trotsky from becoming
The early 20th century socialist revolutionary theorists Vladimir Lenin, Rosa Luxembourg and Leon Trotsky believed that the withering away of the state and the removal of the capitalist mode of production was a necessary outcome if the individual was to ever realize their true nature as being free, equal and self-determining. This, however, could only be achieved through the development of the proletariat’s class consciousness and their defeat over the bourgeoisie. It is in this manner where both socialist revolutionary theory and practice share a dialectical relationship. However untied in their revolutionary visions of this international process, these theorists differ in what the role and functions of the revolutionary party should be in the historical development of the new socialist state.
Joseph Stalin was born in Djugashvili in the middle of December in 1878. Not much is known about his younger years as a child. He was an only child and it is said that he grew up in a very poor house hold. Stalin’s remorseless attitude can be credited to his father actions since he was beaten as a child. Due to this Stalin dedicated his life to his studies which in turn lead to him getting a scholarship. He then used this scholarship at a catholic school in hopes of becoming a priest. While studying to become, a priest he also began indulging in the readings of Karl Marx. This influenced him to practice Marxism and got him kicked out of school for it.
Leon Trotsky once said, “The end may justify the means as long as there is something that justifies the end,”. Leon Trotsky was a Bolshevik revolutionary and Marxist theorist. Trotsky served as the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affair and the People’s Commissar of War and was the founder and commander of the Red War. He was also an allusion for Snowball on Animal Farm by George Orwell. He has gone through so many bumps on the road throughout his life, but still made his way back and he always knew how to be a great leader.
"In conclusion, although Stalin died on 5th March 1953 at Kuntsevo Dacha near Moscow, Russia, but also, Stalin's reputation as a ruthless master of deception remains intact. Also, he is consider as one of the first western historians to document the violence perpetrated by the brutal leader describes how his demise saved citizens of the Soviet Union from greater
After Lenin's death in 1924, two conflicting schools of thought about the future of the Soviet Union arose in party debates. Trotsky, one of the primary proponents of the party's left wing, believed that a world revolution was essential for the survival of socialism in the economically backward Soviet Union. However, the left wing's domestic policy also advocated rapid development of the economy and the creation of a socialist society.
Firstly many members of the communist distrusted Trotsky due to his Menshevik past and didn’t see him as a true and Loyal Bolshevik. He didn’t join to Bolshevism until 1917 and this made the ‘old’ Bolsheviks suspect him. The distrust continued with his role as the commander of the Red Army and his opportunism is switching alliances against and with other colleagues like Zinoviev and Kamenev. Due to this many suspected him of becoming a dictator and they wanted
The Life of Leon Trotsky Leon Trotsky is well recognised as one of the greatest Marxists that ever lived. After being arrested, sentenced to exile twice and supporting the Mensheviks, Trotsky was deported to New York Citywhere he was to be a peaceful, productive member of society. Following the removal of the Tsar during the Russian Revolution, Trotsky returned to Russia in May 1917. In August 1917, Trotsky joined the Central Committee of the Bolshevik party whose leader was none other than Vladimir Lenin.
I’m sure you all are familiar with the concept of communism, and perhaps how it is the staple of Russia and the society that was the Soviet Union (which failed). However, the Communist Manifesto was composed by two German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published in London in the year of 1848. It essentially says that our lives should be governed by us, and that all property shall be publicly owned. All citizens of the nation must work and are paid according to their abilities and needs. It sounds enticing, sounds like it’ll work. That was the basis of their philosophy. But, a society in which there is an absolute power, in this case the working class, is the fault. It simply won’t work. It breeds absolute corruption. We’ve all probably heard that
Trotsky, being the Commissar Minister for War and the second most powerful man in Russia during the reign of Lenin, was sent to exile, and assassinated by an ice pick. His life was filled with honor, pride and most importantly, confidence. His gifted talent of public speak had an overwhelming effect on the people. He believed his theory of “Permanent Revolution” was the perfect structure of revolution suitable for Russia, it was suppose to bring hope and power to the Soviet Union, the communism will spread across the World and finally union the World under the control of Communism. However, this was never achieved, the Permanent Revolution was nothing but a dream of his, Trotsky was a naive idealist but not a practical revolutionary.
Karl Marx is often called the father of communism, but his life entailed so much more. He was a political economist, philosopher, and idea revolutionist. He was a scholar that believed that capitalism was going to undercut itself as he stated in the Communist Manifesto. While he was relatively ambiguous in his lifetime, his works had tremendous influence after his death. Some of the world’s most powerful and most populace countries follow his ideas to this day. Many of history’s most eventful times were persuaded by his thoughts. Karl Marx was one of the most influential persons in the history of the world, and a brief history of his life will show how he was able to attain many of his attitudes.
Essay number 1: Why did Stalin rather than Trotsky emerge as Party leader in 1929