Click On Title To Link To "Los Angeles Times" Article On The Plight Of The Poor In Moscow.
Commentary
As an old time supporter of the political legacy of Leon Trotsky, the acknowledged leader of the Russian and International Left Opposition to the Stalinist degeneration of the Russian Revolution in his time, and defender of the Soviet Union prior to the capitalist restoration in 1991-2 this linked article is rather a depressing one concerning the fate of those of a generation who helped to build that society. Notwithstanding the current heavy odds against such a foreseeable outcome that society needs, and needs desperately, a socialist revolution. A new October revolution. More on this topic later as we head toward the anniversary Of Leon Trotsky's death in August.
The fall of Stalinism and the restoration of capitalism, was predicted by Trotsky. Trotsky wasn't a seer, but a dialectical materialist.
ReplyDeleteNot everything Trotsky predicted occured. His method was correct mistakes. Unfortunately after Trotsky died, the 4th Int'l preserved Trotsky's ideas, but not his dialectical method.
Renegade is absolutely right that Leon Trotsky was not a seer but was, probably, the last great practitioner of the art of dialectical thinking in all his work. He had the method etched in his brain. (Others, of course, have done so in spots since then but nobody has done so, on a day to day basis, as Trotsky did-just look at his Internet site for proof, especially the work in the 1930’s when it was hard to keep one’s head up about socialist prospects.)
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that I would add here is, because Renegade didn't mention it and it kind of skews his comment, was that while Trotsky theoretically projected the possible demise of the Soviet Union in the long haul without an internationalization of the revolution (and, from the 1930’s, a political revolution within the Soviet Union) this possibility did not animate his work. His whole last struggle was to prevent such an outcome and if the fight to establish the Fourth International meant anything it was to guard against defeatism on the question of the long term prospects for socialism.