Sunday, October 4, 2015

Prophet: The Life of Leon Trotsky

Let me begin by saying that I’m no fan of Leon Trotsky, and I think a whole lot of his ideas would never have worked. I’m also no fan of Communism and I believe that it can’t work. However, this book is wonderful, because it shows how Trotsky and Stalin, both ruthless in their drive for power, had opposite ideas on the goal of the Soviet state. Published in England in the 1950’s by a Soviet exile, and now reissued by Verso Books, this biography of the Communist leader gives great insight into the origins of all the horrible things that happened in the Soviet Union.

Trotsky was not anti-capitalist in a way that would destroy the economy. On the contrary, he knew that business was necessary for the nation’s industry to survive. Lenin, who like most Communist leaders had never held down a job, bulldozed everything in his way. Stalin, who considered Trotsky a nuisance, set up a phony economy that was built on slavery and lies.


This biography was originally in three volumes, which makes it a long book to read. However, even though it was written by a dissident, it isn’t overly biased. We get a good, clear view of Trotsky’s philosophies and his personal life. It shows you how the Soviet Union could’ve become a success, but was ruined when Stalin made himself into an emperor and ruined it.

No comments:

Post a Comment