80 years on from Trotsky’s assassination: can they kill his ideas?

Lev Davidovich Bronstein, better known as Leon Trotsky, was murdered on 21 August 1940. What was Stalin so afraid of? And why do capitalist commentators still try to bury Trotsky’s ideas today?

Earlier this year, the Committee for a Workers’ International published a new book, and Socialism produced a special podcast series, for the 80th anniversary of the revolutionary leader’s assassination. The book is called ‘Leon Trotsky - A Revolutionary Whose Ideas Couldn’t Be Killed’, and you can buy it at leftbooks.co.uk. The podcast series is called ‘Trotsky and Trotskyism’, this episode was its first instalment, and you can find a playlist with all 11 episodes at our SoundCloud page, soundcloud.com/socialismpodcast.

What was Trotsky’s role in Russia’s revolutions? What is the theory of ‘permanent revolution’? How did Stalinism betray it? What were Trotsky’s ideas for defeating Stalinism and fascism? And what can workers and socialists today learn from it all?

This episode of Socialism, one of our highlights of 2020, introduces the co-leader of the Russian revolution: Trotsky’s revolutionary ideas.

Further reading

80th anniversary of Leon Trotsky's assassination: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31220/19-08-2020/80th-anniversary-of-leon-trotskys-assassination

Leon Trotsky - A Revolutionary Whose Ideas Couldn't Be Killed: http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=49798530

Leon Trotsky: A revolutionary's life: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/15106/29-08-2012/leon-trotsky-a-revolutionarys-life

My Life: An Attempt at an Autobiography (Trotsky): http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950002679/Products/TROT0025

How did Britain's working class fight to overthrow early capitalism?

In the early 19th century, the industrial revolution was rapidly creating a big new social class in Britain: the working class. Workers produced huge amounts of new wealth for the ruling capitalists, but had appalling conditions and no say in politics. Sound familiar?

Trade unions appeared for the first time, formed by workers to fight in the workplace. But they quickly realised that this alone was not enough. The bosses used political power to restrain or reverse what the workers could win by industrial struggle alone.

The Chartist movement was the world’s first working-class party. Its ‘People’s Charter’ demanded a massive extension of democratic rights for workers – with the goal of using that to improve their material conditions.

But increasingly, experience taught Chartist workers that petitioning alone was not enough either. Ultimately, revolutionary struggle was the only way for workers to gain power – or even win more rights within the capitalist system.

How did the Chartists develop their ideas and methods of struggle? What was the outcome of the movement? And what can we learn from it today?

This episode of Socialism looks at Britain’s revolutionary working class: Chartism.

Further reading

Newport Rising 1839: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/8303

Class struggle and the early Chartist movement: http://socialismtoday.org/archive/129/chartism.html

Debate: The class character of Chartism: http://socialismtoday.org/archive/130/chartism.html

Debate: Class, leadership and the Chartist movement: http://socialismtoday.org/archive/131/chartism.html

Newport council destroys workers' mural: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/17541

The Pentrich uprising: revolution and counter-revolution in 19th century Britain: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/25680

What are the roots of women’s oppression?

Thousands of years ago, early human societies lived without economic classes or gender oppression. Life was basic, precarious and sometimes brutal. But all contributed what they could to producing the necessities of life, and men and women had an equal say and social status.

How did humans move from this to ways of organising society which are more advanced – but where a small, pampered minority exploits the hard work and suffering of the majority? How is this connected to women being treated as second-class citizens or commodities? And how does capitalism benefit from it? Friedrich Engels investigated these questions in 1884.

Can patriarchy be analysed and overcome separately from the struggle against the economic ruling class? And what is necessary to end women’s oppression – both by material privations and by backwards social attitudes – once and for all?

This episode of Socialism, part of a short series on Engels, looks at Marxism and women’s liberation: The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State.

Further reading

International Women's Day 2020: Fighting sexism and austerity: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/30362/04-03-2020/international-womens-day-fighting-sexism-and-austerity

It Doesn't Have to be Like This: Women and the Struggle for Socialism: http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=2017207

The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State (Engels): https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1884/origin-family/index.htm

What Lies Behind... The Oppression of Women: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/24780

Engels and women’s liberation: http://socialismtoday.org/archive/181/engels.html

How did Engels explain the scientific approach to socialism?

Today, there are socialists who argue that rational arguments, or moral appeals, or new technologies, or localised socialistic community projects, can defeat capitalism. These ideas are not new. Unfortunately, they have all been disproven in theory and practice.

These well-meaning approaches express the yearning of billions for fundamental social change. But they are utopian: they do not take a scientific approach to examining how society works – and therefore, what is needed to change it.

Friedrich Engels came up against similar misleading ideas. His 1877 work Anti-Dühring explained why ‘scientific socialism’ – the original name for Marxism – showed the real way forward. In 1880, Engels reworked key chapters to produce his brilliant explanatory pamphlet ‘Socialism: Utopian and Scientific’.

How did early socialist ideas evolve? What is ‘dialectics’ – the science of change – and how did Marxism put in onto the ‘materialist’ basis of the physical sciences? And how does this approach apply to understanding the development of capitalism – and the struggle for socialism?

This episode of Socialism, part of a short series on Engels, is a re-run of one of our most popular episodes from 2019 - Socialism: Utopian and Scientific.

Further reading

Socialism: Utopian and Scientific (Engels): http://leftbooks.co.uk/Socialism-Utopian-and-Scientific-1

Socialism: Utopian and Scientific discussion questions and resources: http://www.socialistbooks.co.uk/socialism-utopian-and-scientific-resources/

The renewed relevance of Socialism: Utopian and Scientific: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28107/17-10-2018/the-renewed-relevance-of-engels-classic-socialism-utopian-and-scientific

The ABC of Materialist Dialectics (Trotsky): https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1939/12/abc.htm

The Masses Arise: The Great French Revolution 1789-1815: http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=2017204

Value, Price and Profit (Marx): http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950002679/Products/MARX0004

What did Engels have to say about the housing crisis?

Cramped homes. Extortionate costs. Rip-off landlords. Rising homelessness.

Projects to upgrade areas just used to force workers and poor people out. Meanwhile, posh new houses lie empty.

It could be any major town or city in the 21st century. But it was all described by Friedrich Engels back in the 19th century.

Why does capitalism endlessly recreate this social crisis? Why didn’t increasing home ownership solve the problem? What can we learn from Engels’ arguments against anarchists and liberals about housing? And how can socialists start to fix it today?

This episode of Socialism, part of a short series on Engels, looks at the fight for the right to a home: The Housing Question.

Further reading and listening

The Housing Question (Engels): https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1872/housing-question/

Housing crisis: what now and after the pandemic? https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31110/22-07-2020/housing-crisis-what-now-and-after-the-pandemic

The end of social housing? How can we solve the housing crisis? (2015): https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/21777/18-11-2015/the-end-of-social-housing-how-can-we-solve-the-housing-crisis

Socialism episode 45. How renters can beat gentrifiers: https://soundcloud.com/socialismpodcast/45-how-renters-can-beat-gentrifiers

Socialism episode 31. Grenfell and Barking: safe homes for all now: https://soundcloud.com/socialismpodcast/31-grenfell-and-barking-safe-homes-for-all-now

What can the horrors of industrialisation teach socialists today?

175 years ago, Britain was the most advanced capitalist country on the planet. Leaps forward in industry created huge productive power and riches for the capitalists.

Radicals looked to Britain as a way forward for society following revolutionary movements against the old feudal rulers in Europe. But despite massive economic progress, which lays the basis for socialism, capitalism came with terrible new social miseries.

What was life like for the working class in 1845? Is there any real comparison with life in the 21st century? And what did it tell Engels about who should run society?

This episode of Socialism, part of a short series on Engels, looks at his first major work: The Condition of the Working Class in England.

Further reading

Socialism 2020: four days of open, online discussion and debate, 20-23 November: https://www.socialism2020.net/

The Condition of the Working Class in England (Engels): http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950002679/Products/ENGE0006

Who was Friedrich Engels and what were his ideas?

Marxism, originally called ‘scientific socialism’, takes its name from Karl Marx. But Marx didn’t work alone in developing his ideas. His co-philosopher – and close friend – shares the credit for that historic work.

How did these two giants of socialism come together? What led Engels to develop revolutionary ideas? What were his most important contributions to socialist thought? And what can we learn from his hands-on approach – not just to ideas, but in fighting to put them into practice?

This episode of Socialism, part of a short series on Engels, introduces the co-founder of Marxism: the revolutionary life of Friedrich Engels

Further reading

Engels: A Revolutionary Life: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/4795/04-06-2008/engels-a-revolutionary-life

The Frock-Coated Communist, the revolutionary life of Friedrich Engels: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/7401/05-06-2009/the-frock-coated-communist-the-revolutionary-life-of-friedrich-engels

The Condition of the Working Class in England (Engels): http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=6651300

The Communist Manifesto (Marx and Engels): https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/manifesto/

The Housing Question (Engels): https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1872/housing-question/

Socialism: Utopian and Scientific (Engels): http://www.socialistbooks.co.uk/socialism-utopian-and-scientific-resources/

The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State (Engels): http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=2017113

How can students fight back against rip-off Covid imprisonment?

Universities have enticed students onto courses with promises of a learning experience that never materialised – then trapped them there under lockdown to suck out fees and rent.

Overcrowding on campus and in housing is causing major material and mental health crises. Jobs and teaching quality have nosedived – after already suffering from years of marketisation.

Meanwhile, the official student organisations have deserted the field. And Starmer’s Labour has ignored the pressing problems of students and young people as it cravenly backs the Tory government’s approach.

This episode of Socialism looks at the crisis in the universities: how can students fight back?

Further reading

Join Socialist Students: https://socialiststudents.org.uk/join/

Covid and the campuses: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31379/23-09-2020/covid-and-the-campuses

Students not to blame for unsafe uni conditions: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31464/14-10-2020/students-not-to-blame-for-unsafe-uni-conditions

Students trapped on Covid campuses speak out: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31402/30-09-2020/students-trapped-on-covid-campuses-speak-out

Solidarity with Manchester students - fight for democratic control of campus safety: https://socialiststudents.org.uk/2020/11/06/solidarity-with-manchester-students-fight-for-democratic-control-of-campus-safety/

Corbyn suspended - Time to fight for a new mass workers' party: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31582/03-11-2020/corbyn-suspended-time-to-fight-for-a-new-mass-workers-party

US: Narrow poll lead for Biden in highly polarised elections: https://www.socialistworld.net/2020/11/05/us-narrow-poll-lead-for-biden-in-highly-polarised-elections/

What next for the uprising in Nigeria?

Millions of youth have been out on the streets in response to the brutal repression and banditry of the Nigerian state’s so-called ‘Special Anti-Robbery Squad’ (Sars). They have the sympathy of millions of workers in this huge, resource-rich west African country.

The scale of the protests shows this is about much more than just police violence. Appalling wages and living conditions, soaring fuel and food prices, and breath-taking levels of corruption, have discredited the whole Nigerian capitalist establishment.

There are widespread calls to bring the government down. The union leaders called – and then called off – a general strike. And Democratic Socialist Movement – Nigerian sister party of the Socialist Party in England Wales – has attracted impressive numbers with its revolutionary programme, and its new youth platform, the Youth Rights Campaign.

The Committee for a Workers’ International spoke to DSM on Wednesday 21 October, following another brutal killing of protesters by state forces, about how the movement can win.

This episode of Socialism looks at the uprising in Nigeria: End Sars, Buhari out, fight for a socialist Nigeria!

Further reading

Nigeria: Buhari must go! https://www.socialistworld.net/2020/10/22/nigeria-buhari-must-go/

Mass protests force government to disband killer cop unit: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31483

Nigerian police repress peaceful anti-government protest: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31358

Nigerian labour leaders postpone general strike at last minute: https://www.socialistworld.net/2020/09/30/nigerian-labour-leaders-postpone-general-strike-at-last-minute/

Nigeria protests shake regime: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31568

Solidarity with the movement in Nigeria: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31555

Sixty years since Nigeria’s independence – mass misery in the midst of huge resources: https://www.socialistworld.net/2020/10/01/sixty-years-since-nigerias-independence-mass-misery-in-the-midst-of-huge-resources/

How did Trotsky view revolution and the arts?

Because art holds a mirror up to life, many revolutionaries have taken an interest its role. Leon Trotsky in particular wrote on art, literature, and its role in society and politics.

Art can be insightful because of its politics, or despite them. So how does Marxism, a political theory, have any relation to art?

The Russian revolution led to an explosion in artistic vision. Then Stalinism stamped it all out. Why?

Why did Trotsky struggle to try to bring together revolutionary artists in the 1930s? And what relevance does Trotsky’s approach to art and culture hold today?

This episode of Socialism looks at revolution and culture: Trotsky and the arts.

Further reading

Art and revolution: http://socialismtoday.org/archive/128/art.html

Manifesto for an Independent Revolutionary Art (Trotsky, Rivera, Breton): https://www.marxists.org/subject/art/lit_crit/works/rivera/manifesto.htm

The Social Roots and the Social Function of Literature (Trotsky): https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1923/art/tia23b.htm

Surrealism’s revolutionary heart: http://socialismtoday.org/archive/120/manifesto.html

Revolutionary drama: http://socialismtoday.org/archive/203/brecht.html

Literature and Revolution (Trotsky): https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1924/lit_revo/

Art and Revolution: Writings on Literature, Politics and Culture (Trotsky): http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=2075628