Trotskyism

"To make the individual sacred we must destroy the social order which crucifies him. And this problem can only be solved by blood and iron."

Leon Trotsky

Trotskyism or Bolshevik-Leninism is a Socialist and Internationalist ideology focusing on the political ideals of the Soviet revolutionary Leon Trotsky. It is distinguished in the belief of "permanent revolution".

History

Trotskyism originated during the life of Leon Trotsky, who was influenced by the ideas of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. When the October Revolution occured, Trotsky was a major leader of the revolution and contributed greatly to leading the Petrograd Soviet. During the Russian Civil War, Trotsky was a major leader of the Red Army. When Joseph Stalin came to power in 1924, Trotsky was exiled from the USSR and formed the Fourth International with other Trotskyists. Trotskyism and the Fourth International continued to exist after Trotsky's assassination. After the death of the unified Fourth International, the League for the Fifth International (L5I) was eventually formed in hopes of creating a new Trotskyist 'Fifth International'. The L5I still exists to this day and has affiliated parties in multiple countries.

Beliefs

Trotskyism's main belief is the "Permanent Revolution", which is the belief that the complete victory of the bourgeois-democratic revolution in Russia is conceivable only in the form of the dictatorship of the proletariat, leaning on the peasantry, due to the international nature of capitalism allowing for "backwards" nations such as Russia to skip stages through combined development. The democratic revolution grows over directly into the socialist revolution and thereby becomes a permanent revolution.

Degenerated Workers State

Another important Trotskyist belief is the theory of the "Degenerated Workers' State". According to it, a Dictatorship of the Proletariat may develop a powerful caste of state bureaucrats, which will seize the power from the workers. Such a state will be unable to progress further towards higher-stage Communism, and without any political revolution to overthrow the bureaucracy, it will eventually slide back to Capitalism. As such, Trotsky believed that a socialist state would need to be run democratically.

The incapability of the peasantry

The theory of permanent revolution further considers that the peasantry as a whole cannot take on the task of carrying through the revolution because it is dispersed in small holdings throughout the country and forms a heterogeneous grouping, including the rich peasants who employ rural workers and aspire to landlordism and the poor peasants who aspire to own more land. Trotsky argues: "All historical experience [...] shows that the peasantry is incapable of taking up an independent political role".

Variants

Chen Duxiu Thought/Original CPCism

Chen Duxiu (9 October 1879 – 27 May 1942) was a Chinese revolutionary, writer, educator, and political philosopher who co-founded the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1921, serving as its first General Secretary from 1921 to 1927. Chen was a leading figure in the New Culture Movement and May Fourth Movement of 1919, which significantly influenced China's intellectual and political landscape in the early 20th century.

Born in Anhui, Chen was raised in a traditional gentry family but became involved in revolutionary activities from a young age. He studied in Japan, where he was exposed to Western ideas and became involved with Chinese student activist groups. Returning to China, he played a key role in local revolutionary movements in Anhui, notably through journalism and education, advocating for a vernacular literary revolution and the preservation of China's "national essence". During the New Culture Movement (c. 1915–1922), Chen rose to national prominence as the editor of the influential magazine New Youth (Xin Qingnian) and as Dean of Arts and Letters at Peking University. He championed science, democracy, and vernacular literature while launching trenchant critiques of traditional Confucianism and Chinese society. His writings and leadership were instrumental in shaping the May Fourth generation of intellectuals and activists.

Following the May Fourth Movement and influenced by the Russian Revolution, Chen embraced Marxism and, with the assistance of Comintern agents, co-founded the CCP. As its first leader, he navigated the complex early years of the party, including the formation of the First United Front with the Kuomintang (KMT). However, he was removed from leadership in 1927, becoming a scapegoat for the failures of the United Front. Subsequently, Chen became associated with the Trotskyist Left Opposition and was expelled from the CCP in 1929. He spent his later years in relative political isolation, continuing his philological research until he died in Sichuan in 1942.

Cliffism

Cliffism' is an Ideology that is in its core Trotskyist but has broken with key components of Orthodox Trotskyism, such as the theory of Deformed Worker's States. It is more ideologically Versatile and puts more emphasis on identity Politics than normal Trotskyism, attempting to "Unite the Struggles". Cliffism is, similar to Trotskyism, on the far Left politically and culturally and slightly above the Authority Axis. It wants to achieve a Leninist Multi-Party Council Communist Democracy.

History

Cliffism was founded in 1948 by Israeli-British Socialist Tony Cliff (real name Yigael Gluckstein). Initially a member of the british wing of the Fourth International, the Revolutionary Communist Party, Cliff was expelled in the 50s for refusing to take a stance for or against North Korea in the Korean War, seeing it as a War between two capitalist Nations and founded the "International Socialists" who would later become the "Socialist Workers Party" of the UK. From there on the SWP was a constant, if minor, power within British Politics, organising during the Vietnam War, being an important part of the Anti-Nazi-League. Due to its ability to change Tactics rapidly it was able to survive Thatcherism and later showed itself again in Anti-War movements. It continues to be a force in British Politics to this day. Outside of Britain its Tendency is very strong in Ireland and Germany, where it has members in Parliament.

How to Draw

Trotskyism's design is based on a soviet flag by ColumbianSFR on DeviantArt.com.

Flag of Trotskyism

1. Draw a ball
2. Fill the ball with red
3. Color the bottom fifth with yellow
4. Add the emblem of the Fourth International within the canton in top left:
   1. Draw a small yellow hammer-and-sickle
   2. Within the symbol, draw a slanted number "four"
5. Draw the eyes
6. (Optional) Give the ball small reading glasses

You are finished!

Color Name		HEX	RGB
	Red	#CC0000	rgb(204, 0, 0)
	Gold	#FFD700	rgb(255, 215, 0)

Relationships

Товарищи (Comrades)

• Marxism - Dad knows best.
• Leninism - I helped him set up the Soviet Union. And I am his legitimate successor.
• Spartacism - A martyr to the communist movement, and a great inspiration to us all.
• Cardenismo - Nationalist and too economically moderate, but thanks for giving me shelter for the rest of my life in Mexico. And your level of bravery and honesty definitely has my respect.
• Internationalism - All true socialists must be internationalists.
• Alter-Globalism - We too want to establish a world socialist republic, but you often stop short of calling for a revolution you do follow in my goals.
• Left-Wing Populism - Basically me since Lenin died at least.
• Anti-Fascism - Acquaint fascists' heads with the pavement! Also I supported popular and united fronts against fascism.
• Progressive Conservatism - Both Lenin and Militant liked you, we can pass progressive social policy without going crazy.

Попутчики (Fellow travellers)

• Castroism - One of the nicer MLs. But your support for Nationalism is cringe. However I support you against US Aggression.
• Posadism - My space-obsessed son, who seems to be always looking at the sky and that have really weird and extreme ideas and views. Surely his insane ideals of total nuclear obliteration will TOTALLY never be realized right?
• Italian Left Communism - Agrees with me about him, and I get it, the 4th International is just a student union right now, but it will become bigger eventually. And I am more popular than you are.
• Council Communism - Silly poet, you are just afraid of the masses.
• Neoconservatism - They don’t know that he is the second coming of Trotsky! Watch out world! I am BACK!
• Menshevism - I used to be you, but now I think you're a little moderate. Like Lenin did before his last years.
• Jacobinism - Your legacy will not die in vain. The proletariat has taken on the traditions of the revolutionary bourgeoisie, but we can not replicate them.
• State Capitalism - Lenin was right that the NEP was needed to prevent a famine but it has gone too far and now the socialised productive forces are underdeveloped.
• Bennism - Thanks for all the help, Kerensky!
• Nomadology - Why did you leave me Guattari?! At least you still described yourself as "A Marxist influenced by Guattari".

Ревизионисты (Revisionists)

• Agrarian Socialism - We will arouse and organize the advanced workers and through the workers, we shall arouse the peasants. You Kulaks!
• Maoism–Third Worldism - I didn't mean this when I said that workers should cooperate with peasants.
• Marxism–Leninism - Simply an inferior, he doesn't portray Marxist text as it should be. You also didn't crack down on the family enough. But cracking down Kulaks was based (although I would do it more severely.)
• Stalinism - Fucking bureaucrat purged me and then sent some asshole to kill me with an ice axe.
• Maoism - Stalinist who expelled my son, Chen Duxiu and you called me revisionist. Besides, the peasant war by itself without the direct leadership of the proletarian vanguard can only pass on the power to a new bourgeois clique, some “Left” Kuomintang or other, “a third party”, etc., etc.,
• Ho Chi Minh Thought - I will not forget what you did to the workers in Saigon. And you killed Tạ Thu Thâu and my followers while ww2.
• Bukharinism - Even more degenerated bureaucrat, who helped to purge me! But a lot of my modern followers like you for some reason.
• Dengism - You are proof that every Degenerated Workers' State will inevitably return to Capitalism!
• Khrushchevism - The new boss of the bureaucracy after Stalin. You helped him with the purges and the creation of his cult of personality, and after his death you denounced him! TRUE HYPOCRISY! You are just a Stalinist without Stalin.
• Machiavellianism - "A means can only be justified by its end. But the end in turn needs to be justified." I’m a bit of a dogmatist when it comes to expecting a two-staged permanent revolution everywhere.
• Imperialism - You oppressed the workers! I won't forgive you for what you have done!
• Fascism - I am nothing to like you, You son of a bitch!
• Nazism - No matter how much I hate his degenerated workers’ state, he is still far better than your genocidal fascist bourgeois state. So f**k off!
• National Bolshevism - You can't be serious!
• Reformist Marxism - Another fake communist! You can not build socialism using the capitalist state machinery!
• Platformism - You should have joined the bolsheviks in 1920.
• Anarcho-Communism - I kicked you out of Ukraine for a reason.
• Anarcho-Syndicalism - Hue and cry about Kronstadt, anarkiddy.
• Insurrectionary Anarchism - Permanent Insurrection? That's Impossible! Just a counter-revolutionary being!
• Hoxhaism - Stalinite simp! I'm not not revisionist, you are!
• Juche - Another one of Stalin's simps!!!
• Social Democracy - You killed Lenin and Rosa!
• Capitalism - I may hate Stalin, but even a Degenerated Workers' State is still better, than a Bourgeois one!
• Universal Monarchism - You don't know me that well. Just face the Permanent revolution!

Further Information

Literature

Works by Trotsky

• Terrorism and Communism
• What’s Next? Vital Questions for the German Proletariat
• The Only Road
• The Revolution Betrayed
• In Defense of Marxism

Works by other writers

• Trotsky's Theory of Permanent Revolution: A Real Alternative to Socialism in One Country by Eva Dragosits
• From Class Society to Communism: An Introduction to Marxism by Ernest Mandel
• Trotskyism after Trotsky
• What is the real Marxist tradition
• Party and Class

Articles

Do the ends justify the means? Paul D’Amato

Manifestos

• Left Voice

Wikipedia

• Trotskyism
• Leon Trotsky
• Fourth International
• Permanent Revolution
• Tony Cliff
• International Socialist Tendency (IST)

Videos

• Leon Trotsky: Communism's True Believer by Biographics
• What if Trotsky Came To Power Instead of Stalin? by AlternateHistoryHub
• Trotsky with Hitchens and Service by Hoover Institution

Online Communities

• r/Trotskyism

Organizations

• https://fourth.international
• International Socialist Alternative
• Committee for a Workers' International
• International Marxist Tendency
• International Communist League (Fourth Internationalist)
• International Socialist League
• Internationalist Communist Union

Gallery

Portraits and Artwork

• 
  Original portrait

Alternative designs

• 
  Cliffism
• 
  Flag of Cliffism

Comics

• 
  "ML and Stalinism go on a trip" by u/ThePosadist, Source
• 
  "What scares you the most?"
• 
  "Hey dad!"
• 
  "What are you looking at Posadism?"
• 
  "Leftist are fighting"
• 
  By u/cryaki on Reddit. Source

Navigation

zh:托洛茨基主义