Leon Trotsky

Leon Trotsky, a revolutionary leader, co-founded the Red Army and developed Trotskyism, a branch of Marxism that still influences socialist movements.

Lev Davidovich Bronstein

Activist

November 7, 1879

Scorpio

August 21, 1940

60

Yanovka, Ukraine

Leon Trotsky, born Lev Davidovich Bronstein, was a prominent Russian revolutionary, orator, and political theorist who played a pivotal role in the 1917 Russian Revolution. Trotsky’s contributions to socialist thought and revolutionary strategy continue to shape political discourse to this day.

Born in 1879 in Ukraine, Trotsky displayed intellectual brilliance from a young age. He studied at the University of Odessa but was expelled for revolutionary activities.

Trotsky joined the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party and aligned with the Bolshevik faction led by Vladimir Lenin. He became a renowned orator and prolific writer, contributing to various socialist publications.

Trotsky returned to Russia in 1917 and played a crucial role in the Bolshevik seizure of power. He served as People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs and led the Red Army to victory in the Russian Civil War.

Trotsky developed the theory of “permanent revolution,” emphasizing the importance of international revolution and opposing the idea of “socialism in one country.” He coined the term “Stalinism” to describe the bureaucratic degeneration of the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin.

After falling out with Stalin, Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet Union and lived in exile. He continued to write extensively and criticize Stalin’s policies, becoming a symbol of opposition to totalitarianism. Trotsky was assassinated in Mexico City in 1940 by a Soviet agent acting on Stalin’s orders.

Trotsky remains a controversial figure, admired for his revolutionary zeal and theoretical contributions, while criticized for his authoritarian tendencies. His writings continue to be studied and debated by scholars and activists interested in socialism, Marxism, and revolutionary politics.