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Leon Trotsky Biography

Leon Trotsky (/ˈtrɒtski/;[a] born Lev Davidovich Bronstein;[b] 7 November [O.S. 26 October] 1879 – 21 August 1940) was a Russian revolutionary, theorist, and Soviet politician. Ideologically a Marxist and a Leninist, he later developed his own version of Marxism, Trotskyism.

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Leon Trotsky Quotes

City of prose and fantasy, of capitalist automation, its streets a triumph of cubism, its moral philosophy that of the dollar. New York impressed me tremendously because, more than any other city, it is the fullest expression of our modern age.

Cities, Fantasy, Modern, New York, Philosophy, Tremendously

The initiative of the Five Year Plan and of the accelerated collectivization belongs entirely to the Left Opposition, in uninterrupted and sharp struggles with the Stalinists. Not having the possibility of occupying myself here with long historical researches, I will limit myself to a single illustration. The Dnieprostroy is considered with right as the highest achievement of Soviet industrialization. Yet [Joseph] Stalin and his followers ([Clim] Voroshilov and others) a few months before the beginning of the work were decided opponents of the Dnieprostroy plan.

Belongs, Illustration, Possibility, Right, Struggle, Years

Natasha has just come up to the window from the courtyard and opened it wider so that the air may enter more freely into my room. I can see the bright green strip of grass beneath the wall, and the clear blue sky above the wall, and sunlight everywhere. Life is beautiful. Let the future generations cleanse it of all evil, oppression and violence, and enjoy it to the full.

Beautiful, Wall, Sky, Green, Air, Wider

With all due respect to all philistines, the dictatorship of the proletariat does just consist in "giving a hiding" to the classes that were previously supreme, before forcing them to recognize the new order and to submit to it.

Order, Class, Giving, Supreme, Forcing, Due

Actually, the decision was not only expedient but necessary. The severity of this summary justice showed the world that we would continue to fight mercilessly, stopping at nothing. The execution of the Tsar's family was needed not only in order to frighten, horrify, and dishearten the enemy but also in order to shake up our own ranks, to show them that there was no turning back, that ahead lay either complete victory or complete ruin.

Dishearten, Fighting, Horrify, Justice, Order, Stopping

The struggle against war and its social source, capitalism, presupposes direct, active, unequivocal support to the oppressed colonial peoples in their struggles and wars against imperialism. A 'neutral' position is tantamount to support of imperialism.

War, Struggle, Support, Unequivocal, Against

The main task of Socialism - the organization of Socialist production - remains still in the future.

Organization, Remains, Socialism, Socialist, Tasks

What shall we call an "immediate possibility"? In 1923 the situation in Germany was profoundly revolutionary, but what was lacking for a victorious revolution was a correct strategy.

Call, Germany, Possibility, Revolution, Strategy, Victorious

Communism needs democracy like the human body needs oxygen.

Body, Communism, Democracy, Human, Needs, Oxygen

If one cannot get along without a mirror, even in shaving oneself, how can one reconstruct oneself or one's life, without seeing oneself in the "mirror" of literature?

Life, Literature, Mirrors, Oneself, Shaving

As long as I breathe I hope. As long as I breathe I shall fight for the future, that radiant future, in which man, strong and beautiful, will become master of the drifting stream of his history and will direct it towards the boundless horizons of beauty, joy and happiness! Life is beautiful. Let the future generations cleanse it of all evil, oppression and violence, and enjoy it to the full.

Beautiful, Boundless, Fighting, Man, Master, Strong

You may not be interested in strategy, but strategy is interested in you.

Business Strategy, Interested, May, Strategy

In 1917 there was not a single Bolshevik who considered possible the realization of a socialist society in a single country, and least of all in Russia.

Country, Russia, Realization, Socialist

To overthrow the power of the bourgeoisie and to establish the power of the proletariat in one country still does not signify the full victory of Socialism.

Bourgeoisie, Country, Establish, Full, Victory

Old age is the most unexpected of all things that happen to a man.

Inspirational, Men, Old Things, Unexpected, Man, Old

Similar (of course, far from identical) irritations in similar conditions call out similar reflexes; the more powerful the irritation, the sooner it overcomes personal peculiarities. To a tickle, people react differently, but to a red-hot iron, alike. As a steam-hammer converts a sphere and a cube alike into sheet metal, so under the blow of too great and inexorable events resistances are smashed and the boundaries of "individuality" lost.

Blow, Inexorable, Iron, Powerful, Sheet, Smashed

Is it possible to fulfill this task, is it possible to achieve the definite victory of Socialism in one country without the combined efforts of the proletarians of several advanced countries? No, it is impossible.

Country, Effort, Victory, Task

There is a limit to the application of democratic methods. You can inquire of all the passengers as to what type of car they like to ride in, but it is impossible to question them as to whether to apply the brakes when the train is at full speed and accident threatens.

Car, Impossible, Limit, Limits, Question, Ride

The bourgeoisie, which far surpasses the proletariat in the completeness and irreconcilibility of its class consciousness, is vitally interested in imposing its moral philosophy upon the exploited masses. It is exactly for this purpose that the concrete norms of the bourgeois catechism are concealed under moral abstractions. . . The appeal to abstract norms is not a disinterested philosophic mistake but a necessary element in the mechanics of class deception.

Class, Exploited, Mistake, Norms, Philosophy

Once again, he who ignores the problems of revolutionary strategy would do better not to talk about revolutions at all.

Ignores, Problem, Problems, Revolution, Revolutionary

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