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History of the Russian Revolution #1
History of the Russian Revolution: Volume 1
The Russian Revolution of 1917 can be regarded as the greatest event in human history. For the first time, millions of workers and peasants took political power into their own hands, sweeping aside the despotic rule of the capitalists and landlords, and setting out to create a socialist world order based upon the rule of the Soviet of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies. Capitalism had broken at its weakest link. The Russian Revolution heralded the beginning of the world revolution, inspiring the hopes and dreams of millions. Notwithstanding the terrible backwardness of Russia, the new Socialist Soviet Republic represented a decisive threat to the world capitalist order. It struck terror in the ruling classes everywhere, which rightly regarded it as a threat to their power and privileges. Leon Trotsky's History of these events is a masterpiece. It was the first time that a scientific history of a great event has been written by a man who played a dominant part in it. Together with Lenin, he led the Bolshevik Revolution, and lived throughout its stormy events. However, this book is not simply a dramatic narrative, but a profound analysis of the inner forces of the Revolution. It remains by far the best account of the Russian Revolution today.
This volume spans from the February Revolution to the prelude of the 'July Days', as well as the economic and political background of Russia before the Revolution. Also featured in this edition is Alan Woods' introduction to the series.
This volume spans from the February Revolution to the prelude of the 'July Days', as well as the economic and political background of Russia before the Revolution. Also featured in this edition is Alan Woods' introduction to the series.
548 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1930
52 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Leon Trotsky
1,093 books805 followersSee also Лев Троцкий
Russian theoretician Leon Trotsky or Leon Trotski, originally Lev Davidovitch Bronstein, led the Bolshevik of 1917, wrote Literature and Revolution in 1924, opposed the authoritarianism of Joseph Stalin, and emphasized world; therefore later, the Communist party in 1927 expelled him and in 1929 banished him, but he included the autobiographical My Life in 1930, and the behest murdered him in exile in Mexico.
The exile of Leon Trotsky in 1929 marked rule of Joseph Stalin.
People better know this Marxist. In October 1917, he ranked second only to Vladimir Lenin. During the early days of the Soviet Union, he served first as commissar of people for foreign affairs and as the founder and commander of the Red Army and of war. He also ranked among the first members of the Politburo.
After a failed struggle of the left against the policies and rise in the 1920s, the increasing role of bureaucracy in the Soviet Union deported Trotsky. An early advocate of intervention of Army of Red against European fascism, Trotsky also agreed on peace with Adolf Hitler in the 1930s. As the head of the fourth International, Trotsky continued to the bureaucracy in the Soviet Union, and Ramón Mercader, a Soviet agent, eventually assassinated him. From Marxism, his separate ideas form the basis of Trotskyism, a term, coined as early as 1905. Ideas of Trotsky constitute a major school of Marxist. The Soviet administration never rehabilitated him and few other political figures.
Russian theoretician Leon Trotsky or Leon Trotski, originally Lev Davidovitch Bronstein, led the Bolshevik of 1917, wrote Literature and Revolution in 1924, opposed the authoritarianism of Joseph Stalin, and emphasized world; therefore later, the Communist party in 1927 expelled him and in 1929 banished him, but he included the autobiographical My Life in 1930, and the behest murdered him in exile in Mexico.
The exile of Leon Trotsky in 1929 marked rule of Joseph Stalin.
People better know this Marxist. In October 1917, he ranked second only to Vladimir Lenin. During the early days of the Soviet Union, he served first as commissar of people for foreign affairs and as the founder and commander of the Red Army and of war. He also ranked among the first members of the Politburo.
After a failed struggle of the left against the policies and rise in the 1920s, the increasing role of bureaucracy in the Soviet Union deported Trotsky. An early advocate of intervention of Army of Red against European fascism, Trotsky also agreed on peace with Adolf Hitler in the 1930s. As the head of the fourth International, Trotsky continued to the bureaucracy in the Soviet Union, and Ramón Mercader, a Soviet agent, eventually assassinated him. From Marxism, his separate ideas form the basis of Trotskyism, a term, coined as early as 1905. Ideas of Trotsky constitute a major school of Marxist. The Soviet administration never rehabilitated him and few other political figures.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 18, 2023
Une analyse incroyablement plus riche et objective que ce que n’importe quel historien bourgeois a écrit sur le sujet.
July 4, 2024
Ich finde es ein sehr wichtiges Buch, um mal tatsächlich einblicke in die Ereignisse des jahres 1917 zu bekommen!
Hätte es schon früher lesen sollen!
Hätte es schon früher lesen sollen!
March 15, 2017
Habíame hecho de este genial libro, en 2 tomos (el original en ruso era de 3) el último cuarto del siglo pasado, las críticas y reseñas eran todas favorables, incluyendo excelentes referencias por el famoso historiador peruano Jorge Basadre. Pero, una cosa es que te digan que un libro es bueno y otra cosa es leerlo. Usualmente cuando se empieza a leer un libro con tantas alabanzas, sabiendo lo bueno que es, como que la expectativa disminuye y se pierde el placer del descubrimiento. No con este libro, narrado espectacularmente con aquella prosa precisa que caracteriza a Trotsky, siempre pensando en informar al lector e instruir a los camaradas. Cada nuevo capítulo es una placentera lectura, un descubrimiento y un aprendizaje.
Adicionalmente, cabe mencionar que Trotsky cumple una doble función, por un lado la del meticuloso historiador que narra los acontecimientos con acuciosidad científica derivada del método marxista; y por otro, la de un maestro del marxismo que se basa en lo objetivo para explicar de modo materialista el proceso de transformación de la sociedad. Trotsky mismo, pese a haber sido una figura central en el triunfo de la Revolución Bolchevique, se hace a un lado y deja que los hechos hablen por sí, y cuando le toca relatar los eventos en los que él participó, se refiere a sí siempre en tercera persona. Además aclara que el no trata de ser imparcial, pero tampoco es un texto de convencimiento sino una obra de historia, propósito que es cumplido con creces.
Este primer tomo empieza con el famoso capítulo que describe las particularidades del desarrollo de Rusia, las que le sirven para formular la Ley del Desarrollo Desigual y Combinado, que es la aplicación dialéctica al análisis de la evolución de los países atrasados y su tardío arribo al sistema capitalista. Continúa describiendo las miseria de la aristocracia zarista que era parasitada por Rasputín ante la desesperación de la incipiente burguesía capitalista, a la cual, teóricamente le tocaría el papel de clase revolucionaria a suceder al feudalismo, pero por su tardío nacimiento no ha sido capaz de llegar al nivel de sus patrones europeos. patrones porque solamente les queda administrar las industrias y empréstitos provenientes de Europa, al tiempo que tratar de evitar la revolución proletaria. Los acontecimientos llevan hasta el mes de Julio de 1917.
El tomo cierra concluyendo las razones del fracaso de la revolución de Febrero, y vislumbrando en el horizonte que la única salida es o la continuación de la guerra imperialista y el desarme de los soviets o todo el poder a los soviets.
Adicionalmente, cabe mencionar que Trotsky cumple una doble función, por un lado la del meticuloso historiador que narra los acontecimientos con acuciosidad científica derivada del método marxista; y por otro, la de un maestro del marxismo que se basa en lo objetivo para explicar de modo materialista el proceso de transformación de la sociedad. Trotsky mismo, pese a haber sido una figura central en el triunfo de la Revolución Bolchevique, se hace a un lado y deja que los hechos hablen por sí, y cuando le toca relatar los eventos en los que él participó, se refiere a sí siempre en tercera persona. Además aclara que el no trata de ser imparcial, pero tampoco es un texto de convencimiento sino una obra de historia, propósito que es cumplido con creces.
Este primer tomo empieza con el famoso capítulo que describe las particularidades del desarrollo de Rusia, las que le sirven para formular la Ley del Desarrollo Desigual y Combinado, que es la aplicación dialéctica al análisis de la evolución de los países atrasados y su tardío arribo al sistema capitalista. Continúa describiendo las miseria de la aristocracia zarista que era parasitada por Rasputín ante la desesperación de la incipiente burguesía capitalista, a la cual, teóricamente le tocaría el papel de clase revolucionaria a suceder al feudalismo, pero por su tardío nacimiento no ha sido capaz de llegar al nivel de sus patrones europeos. patrones porque solamente les queda administrar las industrias y empréstitos provenientes de Europa, al tiempo que tratar de evitar la revolución proletaria. Los acontecimientos llevan hasta el mes de Julio de 1917.
El tomo cierra concluyendo las razones del fracaso de la revolución de Febrero, y vislumbrando en el horizonte que la única salida es o la continuación de la guerra imperialista y el desarme de los soviets o todo el poder a los soviets.
August 5, 2025
A surprisingly enjoyable read?? Not the easiest prose by any means and definitely benefits from previous knowledge of Marxism, dialectical materialism, and the Russian revolution in general. In that sense, I'd have appreciated an annotated edition (but that's not Trotsky's fault). Regardless, this essay is a true historical object itself and underlines how critically important the revolutions of 1917 are to this day. Looking forward to reading the second volume when the time comes— I'm curious about potential differences with the first volume since Trotsky will most likely have more firsthand experience with those events.
November 19, 2025
Deși autorul precizează clar în prefață că volumul nu este autobiografie sau memorialistică, ci o abordare științifică, nici vorbă. Cartea este un șir nesfârșit de afirmații și concluzii (unele corecte, unele greșite), total lipsite de argumente. Un val de "este așa", dar complet lipsit de "de ce este așa" sau de unde până unde "zic eu".
Aveam așteptări mult mai mari de la Troțki, un intelectual, dar suferă de aroganța para-religioasă tipică marxiștilor (eu zic, fiindcă-s genial, și voi să credeți fără întrebări).
Aveam așteptări mult mai mari de la Troțki, un intelectual, dar suferă de aroganța para-religioasă tipică marxiștilor (eu zic, fiindcă-s genial, și voi să credeți fără întrebări).
July 24, 2017
Livre essentiel sur la révolution russe écrit par un acteur essentiel qui est de surcroît un vrai écrivain. Un must.
January 4, 2025
Finished this late last year and forgot to log.
Trotsky's intimate knowledge of the characters of Tsarist regime, the February government, his fellow Bolsheviks and their 'socialist' opponents lends the work an often biting, caustic tone. Though this is far from a work of self-satisfied triumphalism from a victorious revolutionary. Trotsky uses a great deal of archival research to lay out an expansive work of historical materialism that shines the most when recounting the displays of power by the Russian serfs, soldiers and urban workers (and cowardice by the Tsarist authorities in their final days). Looking forward to the next two volumes.
Trotsky's intimate knowledge of the characters of Tsarist regime, the February government, his fellow Bolsheviks and their 'socialist' opponents lends the work an often biting, caustic tone. Though this is far from a work of self-satisfied triumphalism from a victorious revolutionary. Trotsky uses a great deal of archival research to lay out an expansive work of historical materialism that shines the most when recounting the displays of power by the Russian serfs, soldiers and urban workers (and cowardice by the Tsarist authorities in their final days). Looking forward to the next two volumes.
March 15, 2020
Quite a bit of detail here, but a unique view into the revolution by one of its foundational leaders. Trotsky's periodic interjections are often funny, sometimes gossipy, always insightful. "All the while the power which they had driven out the door, kept crawling back through the window, catching them every time unawares, making them look cheap or ludicrous."
The translation is by Max Eastman, a literary collaborator and biographer of Trotsky. He knows whereof he speaks.
If you have any interest in this period in history, this is an essential book.
On to volume 2!
The translation is by Max Eastman, a literary collaborator and biographer of Trotsky. He knows whereof he speaks.
If you have any interest in this period in history, this is an essential book.
On to volume 2!
June 14, 2025
Пишут, что Троцкий был выдающимся оратором. Ну вот писателем он тоже был отменным. Книга все таки тенденциозна, но уже не тенденциозней других творений свидетелей революционных событий. Зато как читается, как исторический роман, в красках, в масках. К тому же, нужно сказать, что Лев Давидович умеет замечательно структурировать. Все у него как-то не путанно, мысль доводится до конца, она прозрачна и понятна, даже если сложна. Читаем.
April 29, 2020
If I’m spending 2 months reading one book I’m allowed to mark each volume as a separate book I’m not taking questions on this. Good book tho.
May 14, 2022
Обязательно к прочтению
September 18, 2024
Best explanation of the Russian Revolution I've ever read
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews