Reading Trotsky

[OneBrickOneVoice]

This question is directed to the trotskyists on this forum; what work early work (pre-kronsdadt) by Trotsky do you think is the best to read?

[Socialist Dave]

Communism and Terrorism is pretty good, and I think between Red and White is good aswell but I aint read it

[blake 3:17]

Results and Prospects which is the early articulation of Permanent revolution is Trotsky's most important early work. He was also a drafter of the manifesto from the Zimmerwald Conference. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmerwald_Conference)

[Red7]

Yes, I agree with blake 3:17. That was one of his more influential writings. I still read it from time to time. :D

[Severian]

Originally posted by [email protected] 07, 2007 05:02 pm
what work early work (pre-kronsdadt) by Trotsky do you think is the best to read?
Pre-Kronstadt? Another anarcho-Stalinist here?

There's certainly no serious reason to pick that as a major turning point in Trotsky's political life. Try 1917 and 1923 (going into opposition.)

Anyway, for early Trotsky, I'd recommend 1905. (http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1907/1905/index.htm)

A history of the 1905 revolution - the dress rehearsal for 1917 - by its principal leader, the president of the 1905 Petrograd Soviet.

Terrorism and Communism and Results and Prospects are both worth reading....so is Permanent Revolution, but it's from 1930, so not so early.

If we're going past early, History of the Russian Revolution is Trotsky's best writing, no contest. Most of his best stuff is late - he had the most time to write, and gained experience with age.

[OneBrickOneVoice]

I was going to say pre-bolshevik revolution but I picked kronsdadt because I figured after that, most of his works were devoted to undermining the USSR and sectarian bullshit. I was more interested in his non-sectarian works. Thanks for the reccomendation. I'll check out Communism and Terrorism and 1905. And no, I'm not an "anarcho-stalinist"

[Severian]

Originally posted by [email protected] 08, 2007 06:47 pm
I was going to say pre-bolshevik revolution but I picked kronsdadt because I figured after that, most of his works were devoted to undermining the USSR and sectarian bullshit.
By which you mean, criticism of Stalin's regime and the parties internationally which followed it's instructions?

History of the Russian Revolution is not mostly about that.

[Q]

Already saw this site? (http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/works/index.htm)


I was going to say pre-bolshevik revolution but I picked kronsdadt because I figured after that, most of his works were devoted to undermining the USSR and sectarian bullshit. I was more interested in his non-sectarian works.
Wtf are you talking about? You're referring to his attacks on the Stalinist bureaucratic degeneration? And if so, in what way are these works sectarian?


Another anarcho-Stalinist here?
An anarcho-stalinist? What are those? :blink:

[gilhyle]

Originally posted by [email protected] 09, 2007 12:47 am
I'll check out Communism and Terrorism and 1905. And no, I'm not an "anarcho-stalinist"
If you are trying to read his -lets call it - non-partisan writings, I wouldn't particularly go with those two: I would agree with

Results and Prospects and
History of the Russian Rvolution (great read)

1905 is undoubtedly good, Communism and Terrorism is a lesser work. Other writings you might consider is The War and the International (1915) a good polemic on a particular topic.

You will also find some interesting pieces which are not about the fight against stalinism in

-Problems of Everyday Life: some very suggestive pieces mixed with some mediocre propaganda pieces about life in the USSR in the early 1920s.
-Art and Revolution/Literature and Revolution: good insights
-Political Profiles, gossipy with some good insights into the 2nd International

[Black Dagger]

Off topic, Leftyhenry, didnt you used to be a trotskyist? :unsure:

[Vargha Poralli]

Originally posted by black [email protected] 10, 2007 05:59 pm
Off topic, Leftyhenry, didnt you used to be a trotskyist? :unsure:
He used to label himself as one. I doubht he ever understood anything about Trotsky or Trotskyism.

[Whitten]

Originally posted by g.ram+March 10, 2007 04:13 pm--> (g.ram @ March 10, 2007 04:13 pm)
black [email protected] 10, 2007 05:59 pm
Off topic, Leftyhenry, didnt you used to be a trotskyist? :unsure:
He used to label himself as one. I doubht he ever understood anything about Trotsky or Trotskyism. [/b]
Few self-proclaimed Trotskyites seem to understand Trotsky or Trotskyism

[Vargha Poralli]

Originally posted by Whitten+March 10, 2007 10:04 pm--> (Whitten @ March 10, 2007 10:04 pm)
Originally posted by [email protected] 10, 2007 04:13 pm

black [email protected] 10, 2007 05:59 pm
Off topic, Leftyhenry, didnt you used to be a trotskyist? :unsure:
He used to label himself as one. I doubht he ever understood anything about Trotsky or Trotskyism.
Few self-proclaimed Trotskyites seem to understand Trotsky or Trotskyism [/b]
what "scientific" understanding you have about Trotsky or Trotskyism that we "self-proclaimed" Troskyists don&#39;t have ? <_<

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Originally posted by g.ram+March 10, 2007 04:13 pm--> (g.ram @ March 10, 2007 04:13 pm)
black [email protected] 10, 2007 05:59 pm
Off topic, Leftyhenry, didnt you used to be a trotskyist? :unsure:
He used to label himself as one. I doubht he ever understood anything about Trotsky or Trotskyism. [/b]
Why the fuck don&#39;t you go fuck yourself? Seriously, do you have to come on every thread I post on and then just post this bullshit?

I am seriously getting tired of you, you&#39;re fucking annoying as hell&#33;

Black rose,

I used to be a trotskyist, however I had only read his later works.

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Originally posted by Severian+March 09, 2007 01:59 am--> (Severian @ March 09, 2007 01:59 am)
Originally posted by [email protected] 08, 2007 06:47 pm
I was going to say pre-bolshevik revolution but I picked kronsdadt because I figured after that, most of his works were devoted to undermining the USSR and sectarian bullshit.
By which you mean, criticism of Stalin&#39;s regime and the parties internationally which followed it&#39;s instructions?

History of the Russian Revolution is not mostly about that. [/b]
no I mean undermining the USSR. That is why I said


LeftyHenry
devoted to underming the USSR

[Rawthentic]

no I mean undermining the USSR.
You mean undermining the counterrevolution?

[combat]

You should read "My life"(1929) which is an auto biography by Trotsky. Given the fact that Trotsky wrote as much as Lenin, you have a lot to catch up.

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11, 2007 01:59 am
You should read "My life"(1929) which is an auto biography by Trotsky. Given the fact that Trotsky wrote as much as Lenin, you have a lot to catch up.
I&#39;ve read parts of that.

[Okocim]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10, 2007 10:17 pm
I used to be a trotskyist, however I had only read his later works.
why&#39;d you say that?





just in terms of pure readability, I really liked 1905 by Trotsky. It read very much like a story and very inspiring. also the Stalin school of falsification was interesting. I&#39;m currently reading Communism and Terrorism.