Trotsky refuses Lenin offer for leadership

[UndergroundConnexion]

I just read in my schools history book:

In early 1990 it emerges that Trotsky refused Lenin offer of leadership on account of his Jewish origins

Is this true? If it is can somebody explain why Trotsky refused leadership exactly? Did Lenin offer Trotsky leadership?

[Janus]

Is this true?
Maybe, though the explanation for the refusal makes it sounds like another conspiracy theory.


Did Lenin offer Trotsky leadership?
I'm assuming that this would've had to take place while Lenin was seriously ill? If so, Lenin's offer still wouldn't have saved Trotsky from his political defeat though I doubt that he could've made such an offer in the first place.

[Whitten]

It wasnt up to Lenin to decide his successor. He couldnt make any such offer.

[Cryotank Screams]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26, 2006 04:20 pm
Is this true? If it is can somebody explain why Trotsky refused leadership exactly? Did Lenin offer Trotsky leadership?
I seriously doubt this is true.

[bezdomni]

Did Lenin offer Trotsky leadership?
No. Lenin couldn't just say "Okay, Trotsky is going to be General Secretary now. See ya."

That isn't how the Soviet Government or CPSU worked.

[UndergroundConnexion]

Thing is it does come from a book that is used in the international bacaloreate course...

[Wanted Man]

Oddest thing I've ever heard. Seems highly doubtful. School textbooks like to take a little liberty with the facts. :lol:

[The Bitter Hippy]

what happened was that lenin offered the position of deputy head of VTsIK (the govt) to Trotsky, who refused.

The bolshevik party had no official leaders. Lenin had no more power within the party than trotsky beyond his reputation and loyalty of the members.

He most certainly could NOT have made him leader of the party, even if such a post existed.

[Severian]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26, 2006 02:20 pm
In early 1990 it emerges that Trotsky refused Lenin offer of leadership on account of his Jewish origins
Improbable. I'd want to know the book's source for this assertion.

In general, it's remarkable how little basically new has emerged from the secret archives about the early years of the USSR. I read one collection of new! secret! documents claiming to discredit Lenin; there was not one actually new, suprising thing to be learned from it.

Probably because so much of Lenin's writings, even private letters, was already published....

[bezdomni]

I know where this came from now. It was written by AJP Taylor as an introduction to John Reed's Ten Days That Shook The World.

Here's the direct quote:


Lenin decided that they must nominated Soviet ministers. Trotsky suggested that they should be called Commissars. Lenin said: "Yes, that has a good revolutionary sound". Lenin then suggested that Trotsky should become Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, while he himself would remain merely leader of the Bolshevik party. Trotsky objected that, as a Jew, he was unsuitable. He added "besides, you will stay outside and criticize". Lenin relunctantly agreed to become Chairman.

So, Lenin didn't offer leadership to Trotsky, he merely agreed to nominate him as Chairman, which Trotsky refused on the grounds of being Jewish.

[Red October]

so trotsky was an anti-semite? i haven read much about it.

[bezdomni]

Originally posted by Red October [email protected] 30, 2006 09:47 pm
so trotsky was an anti-semite? i haven read much about it.
What? :lol:

Trotsky was Jewish, that is why he turned down Lenin's offer to nominate him. Trotsky felt it would be unwise for him, as a Jew, to be Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, due to the widespread anti-semitism at the time.

[Severian]

Oh, that. Not new. "Emerged in 1990" indeed.

Yeah, as it was, the early Soviet government had to deal with lots of people saying it was controlled by Jews.

[bezdomni]

Originally posted by [email protected] 30, 2006 10:51 pm
Oh, that. Not new. "Emerged in 1990" indeed.

Yeah, as it was, the early Soviet government had to deal with lots of people saying it was controlled by Jews.
And Lenin was accused of being a German agent more than once.

[Red October]

Originally posted by SovietPants+November 30, 2006 04:57 pm--> (SovietPants @ November 30, 2006 04:57 pm)
Red October [email protected] 30, 2006 09:47 pm
so trotsky was an anti-semite? i haven read much about it.
What? :lol:

Trotsky was Jewish, that is why he turned down Lenin's offer to nominate him. Trotsky felt it would be unwise for him, as a Jew, to be Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, due to the widespread anti-semitism at the time. [/b]
thanks for clarifying that. i dont know much about trotsky or lenin's personal life or background, so please forgive the error