By Trotsky’s ideas reflect the classical Marxist movement, but they also make a difference. Learn about the origins of this line of revolutionary thought against Stalinist Russia here.
Within the broad spectrum of Marxist thought, Trotskyism represents a critical current distinguished by its specific interpretations and applications of Marx’s theories.
Developed by Leon Trotsky, a key figure in the Bolshevik Revolution, it emphasizes the role of the proletariat in the revolutionary process and the administration of a socialist state.
Understanding this movement is essential to deepening political thought, as it not only highlights the diversity within Marxism but also sheds light on the ideological and practical conflicts that shape the course of socialism in the world.
What is Trotskyism?
This ideology is integrated with the Marxist framework, through its foundation in dialectical materialist philosophy , the labor theory of value and the conviction that the working class is the agent of change.
However, it differs in its approach to the nature and development of the revolutionary process, asserting that in backward capitalist societies the complete and genuine tasks of a democratic revolution can only be achieved through the direct conquest of power by the proletariat.
The movement is defined by its defense of the strategy of permanent revolution , its opposition to socialism under the leadership of Joseph Stalin and its criticism of the bureaucracy that, according to Trotsky, came to dominate the Soviet Union, betraying the democratic and internationalist principles of the October Revolution.
Who was Leon Trotsky?
In 1879, Leon Trotsky was born in Yanovka, Ukraine. He joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party as a young man and emerged as a leading figure in the revolutions of 1905 and 1917. His role as leader of the Red Army during the Civil War and his positions in the early Soviet government were crucial to the development of the ideas that would later shape Trotskyism.
Events that influenced the development of this ideology include his role in the October Revolution (the second phase of the Russian Revolution), his leadership of the Red Army, his struggle against Stalin’s growing influence within the Communist Party, and his eventual exile.
By 1930 he published his book The Permanent Revolution , where he criticized the possibility of the bourgeoisie being revolutionary and proposed imperialism as a higher stage of capitalism . There he argued that the only thing that can achieve such a revolution is the proletarian struggle.
After going into exile, he continued his criticism , and some of his supporters were accused of separatism and executed in the Moscow Trials between 1936 and 1938. Later, in 1940, the politician was assassinated in Mexico by a Stalinist agent, which underlined the deep political-ideological conflict between Trotskyism and Stalinism.
How this political movement originated
This movement began to take shape after Trotsky’s opposition to the policies of Stalin’s government, his criticism of the bureaucratic elite that came to power in the USSR and his expulsion from the Soviet Union in 1929.
This period marked the crystallization of the movement into a coherent set of political and ideological principles that sought to revive the revolutionary, democratic and internationalist spirit of the Bolshevik Revolution.
Main Features
Trotsky’s school of thought was inspired by characteristics ranging from centralist democracy to feminist contributions. Let’s look at them in detail:
- Contributions to feminism: He was a pioneer in proposing ideas for the liberation of women . He defended gender equality in all areas of social life.
- Permanent revolution: proposes that socialism cannot be limited to a single country, but must be extended to be viable, especially to developed countries.
- Criticism of Stalinism: he opposed the bureaucratization and authoritarianism of the Soviet regime under Stalin’s leadership. He defended workers’ democracy within the party and the state, with mechanisms of popular control and participation.
- Cultural transformation: In his book Literature and Revolution (2014), Trotsky criticizes traditional art for bearing the marks of the ruling classes. There he argues that art should be an instrument of struggle for social justice and the transformation of the world.
- Theory of uneven and combined development: explored the evolution of capitalism in colonial and semi-colonial countries. For the movement there is no linear development, so the revolution must take into account the specific characteristics of each nation.
- Education as a tool for emancipation: Education is considered a fundamental tool for the emancipation of the working class. It should therefore allow people to understand their own social reality and develop the tools necessary to transform it.
- Democratic centralism: He advocated greater internal democracy in left-wing parties, recommending the election of revocable representatives and the rotation of positions to avoid concentration of power. He emphasized the importance of debate and internal criticism to strengthen the organization.
Rivalry between Trotskyism and Stalinism
Ideological differences are marked by Trotsky’s insistence on the need for an international revolution and a workers’-controlled state, in contrast to Stalin’s focus on building socialism in one country without the need for foreign support.
Both movements claimed loyalty to Leninist principles, but differed in their interpretation and application. Trotsky’s movement called for a world proletarian revolution and criticized the bureaucratic centralism of Stalinism.
The latter emphasized the consolidation of socialism in the Soviet Union as a basis for international socialism, often at the expense of democratic principles and foreign solidarity.
In practice, these differences manifested themselves in the methods of government, with Trotsky advocating workers’ councils ( soviets ) and democratic participation in the political process, while Stalin’s regime was characterized by autocracy and the suppression of political dissent.
Differences and similarities between Trotskyism and classical Marxism
The foundation of this policy is classical Marxism, applying its principles to the specific conditions of the 20th century, particularly in countries that had not experienced a bourgeois-democratic revolution.
While Marxism outlines the historical necessity of the proletarian revolution, Trotsky’s ideology specifies the mechanism of this in backward capitalist societies, through the theory of permanent revolution.
Both currents see the working class as the key agent of change. However, Trotskyism differs in its insistence on an uninterrupted transition from the democratic to the socialist stages of the revolution in countries with underdeveloped capitalism. This is a position not made explicit in classical Marxist thought.
A fundamental piece of the 20th century
Leon Trotsky’s politics occupies a critical space within Marxist thought, offering a unique perspective on the theory and practice of socialist revolution.
His emphasis on internationalism , the role of the proletariat in achieving and maintaining a socialist state, and his critique of bureaucratic centralism provide valuable insights into the complexities of 20th-century socialism.