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Quote by Leon Trotsky

“The theory of the permanent revolution, in contradiction to the theory of socialism in one country, was recognized by the entire Bolshevik party during the period from 1917 to 1923.”

Quote by Leon Trotsky

Author

Leon Trotsky was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and theorist, one of the key figures in Marxist theory. Born on November 7, 1879, and died on August 21, 1940. Trotsky played a significant role in the Russian Revolution, being one of the founders of the Bolshevik Party and a close comrade of Lenin. He was involved in the political struggles after the revolution and eventually fell out with Stalin, leading to his exile and eventual assassination. more

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“Only the defeat of the proletariat in Germany in 1923 gave the decisive push to the creation of Stalin's theory of national socialism: the downward curve of the revolution gave rise to Stalinism, not to the theory of the permanent revolution, which was first formulated by me in 1905. This theory is not bound to a definite calendar of revolutionary events; it only reveals the world-wide interdependence of the revolutionary process.”

World Firsts Process Events Creation Theory Revolution Bounds Defeat Wide Socialism Permanent Revolutionary Germany Definite Curves Calendars Interdependence Proletariat Stalinism

Author:Leon Trotsky

“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.”

“There is talk ... of our constructing Dnieprostroy through our own means. The means needed are great, several hundred millions. Let us not get into the position of the peasant who, after accumulating a nest-egg, instead of repairing his plough and renewing his equipment, buys a gramophone and goes bankrupt.”

Mean Millions Position Needed Hundred Eggs Equipment Peasants Nests Repairing

Author:Joseph Stalin

“Simultaneously the Left Opposition in the course of several years carried on a struggle against the Stalinists in favor of collectivization.”

Years Courses Left Struggle Favors Opposition

Author:Leon Trotsky

“Only when the kulak refused to deliver grain to the State did [Joseph] Stalin, under the pressure of the Left Opposition, accomplish a sharp turn. Being the empiricist that he is, he moved, to the opposite extreme, and set as a task for two or three years the collectivization of all the peasantry, the liquidation of the kulaks as a class, and the compression of the Five Year Plan into four years.”

Years Two States Turns Three Left Class Five Four Plans Tasks Opposites Pressure Moved Extremes Accomplish Five Years Opposition Three Years Four Years Grain Compression Five Year Plans

Author:Leon Trotsky

“The Left Opposition declared that the new tempo of industrialization were above our forces, and that the liquidation of the kulaks as a class in the course of three years was a fantastic task, if one wishes to say so, we find ourselves this time "less radical" than the Stalinists.”

Ifs Years Three Courses Left Force Wish Class Tasks Radical Fantastic Opposition Three Years Tempo Industrialization

Author:Leon Trotsky

“Revolutionary realism tries to draw the maximum advantage from every situation - that is what makes it revolutionary - but at the same time it does not permit us to set ourselves fantastic aims - that is what makes it realistic.”

Trying Doe Situation Draws Advantage Aim Fantastic Revolutionary Realistic Permit Realism Maximum

Author:Leon Trotsky

“I emphasized the significance of revolutionary strategy.”

Strategy Revolutionary Significance

Author:Leon Trotsky

“Without a correct strategy the victory is impossible. But even the most correct strategy cannot give the victory under unfavorable objective conditions.”

Giving Impossible Conditions Victory Strategy Objectives

Author:Leon Trotsky

“The revolution has its own laws: in the period of its culmination it pushes the most highly developed, determined and far-seeing stratum of the revolutionary class to the most advanced positions.”

Law Class Seeing Position Revolution Periods Determined Revolutionary Culmination

Author:Leon Trotsky