tatives, any writing or theory of his own.
Trotsky often remembered and presented todav in a dua wav great public He was, with Lenin, one of the two great leaders of the Kussian 1917. He developed theories, ideas, tical struggles of the entire working class movement.
He fought until his assassination in 1940 not Ully against capitalism, but also against the crimes of Stalin and the political system he created in Russia.
Secondly, in that struggle Trotsky lived tremenuous humar • He sonal life and tragedy. was killed by an assassin of Stalin. His first wile and all four children were killed, or driven to suicide through persecution, because of his role in polncs.
He was a person who never cord. or waulco lo separate his own persona existence from une struggic of the world working class person, and every thing which oppressed them.
Many who would not agree with his ideas neverTHE SUBJECT of this series of articles is the politics of Leon Trotsky. But we are going to start with a fact about his life and the way he is remembered. Strangely enough that will tell us more about the ideas and politics of Marxism, of which he was one of the greatest representhan would come from starting with theless acknowledge him as one of the greatest symbols of human courage and struggle against capitalist system and all those who serve it.
Lives In that personal characteristic nowever Trotsky differed in no way every great Marxist and revolutionary who ever lived. Marx, Engels, Lenin, Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht, Malcolm X, Che Guevara. All, and we are naming only a few, ived lIves. were totally involved in every personal way with politics. board figures are cardas is often presented books. ooking at the relation between ponnes and tnal personal character we plunge of NORI CULO Marxism.
Revolutionary ist, that is Marxist, politics have in their origins and Dul DUsC nothing do anything that 'abstract' or 'theoretical' at all.
Marxism does not exist in order to passively 'understand' the world. It exists in order to alter it. The most famous phrase of Marx, and the key to all revolutionary socialist ideas, is: "The philosophers have only interpreted the the point nowever is to chance m. Anything that does Marxism.
But changing the world carried out by abstractions but through real human beings. Marxism shows that no person can change the world a will or in any way they like, At any particular moment in time they can only change things within limits set by forces far more powerful than any individual human being or even than whole classes of human beings. But within these limits real people are the forces who struggle and bring about that change.
Dead Marxism rests totally on the assumption that real living people will fight for their interests and those of humanity. If not, the structure of society analysed by Marxism woula de Just as acad and without development as a mcclanca Cock wildoul a spring. Those who do not understand that, both incoreucaly feelings, are librarians and socialists.
The same dividuals. In that change society. ideas alc not enough. Anyone who does not feel anger and natred at this society and innumerable anyone who is not inspired and does not feel love when they see anyone fighting against their op DIC SON cannot revolutionary.
Real Only the emotions of a real human personality can give the energy and determination to fight for the colossal changes s in the which socialism demands. They alone will keep anyone going against the tremendous obstacle that will be encountered They are the only source for the drive fight against, and therefore come to understand, the capitalist system.
That every serious revolutionary has integrate their politically and personally, with that of the working class movement, and its fight against the capitalist system.
Marx, as witn every great revolutionary including Trotsky, expressed this only his theoretical views but even in nis ikes and aislikes When he was answered a then tashion able questionnaire contessions. loucuucs tion: 'What is your idea of happiness?' he gave the answer: "To fight.
misery? answer:
you detest most?', 'SerMis he agains he This against capitalist system he believed inhuman, degrading and vile believed would get worse Marx Wa right Politics is altion deal questions. million people died of stareven ped the countries the world last year strike enormous hardship is suffered by those taking part. In many parts of the people face death for engaging in politica activity or Are polic quesnuclear war which threatens every one of us with annihilation.
In that type of struggle there is no room whatever for luxuries. The lives and struggles of Trotsky Marx car provide inspira tion. But the enormous amount of time and great effort to study and master their can only justified if it helps in prac tical revolutionary activity.
are reflections of the real material stood then one of Lenin's favourite stories can easily be understood. Krupskaya his companion, recalls now they took it from a tale of Tolstoy:
'Once Spotted in me distance the wiler wuikile he squatting on his haunches s and mov ine ns nones avour in an absurd way; a madman he of thought — - but on drawing The saw that it the on the paving-stone sharpening by theoretical controversies.
Heard from aside, they do not seem worth quarrellabout, but once the ea inal ine matter is of tne utmost importance.
It Arguments in Marxist theory are about how the strongest forces in will operate in real All its terms of family, masiering them.
he on of In a or the the are 'TROTSKYISM' has become a major subject for attack by the mass media. But what were the real politics of Trotsky? In the first two parts of a new series by JOHN ROSS we look at Trotsky's ideas and those of Marxism.
Army of repression: part of the Chilean class state Socialist Challenge 9 July 1982 page 13
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