What were Trotsky's views on the DOTP? Do you agree with them?
Same as Marx's.
Well that wasn't really helpful, Leon. If we really wish to analyze what Trotksy's views were on the dotp, then I think it would be best to look at the situation in Russia and the formation of the USSR (regardless of whether or not those were ideal circumstances and regardless of whether or not the manifestation the dotp took was a direct result of said circumstances). Given what happened, we can see that Trotsky, correctly, thought that the dotp would manifest itself through a form of state capitalism; which is undoubtedly correct seeing as how we cannot create and enter into a new mode of production overnight and in isolation. Now I, for one, do not agree with Lenin's characterization (which I am assuming Trotsky agreed with) of socialism being state capitalism wielded in the interests of the masses; but the dotp will undoubtedly take on the form of state capitalism. While this is perhaps a bit elementary for an "in depth discussion on the dotp" its the best I got at the moment.
The first stage of socialism in russia had to be state capitalism, to do things like forcing capital investments into factories and oil fields instead of going into Kulak farms. There was literally no other alternative. Once the N.E.P. which was State Capitalism was over, a planned economy, which is a socialist mode of production, was implemented, BUT the state bureaucracy was too strong (and they had the NKVD) by that point for Trotsky and Lenin to really do anything about it.
I think it is important to remember that a planned economy doesn't equal a socialist economy, but is an important part of it.
Naturally, but it's the first step in building a socialist economy, at least untill capitalism and the market are trying to imperialise the country. Didn't Marx or Lenin or somebody say that "Socialism can't survive without a productive level greater than capitalism"? This means that the planned economy, since it's proved its effectiveness, should be adopted immediately after the struggle for power is over.
