Trotsky Para Principiantes

Writers & Readers Documentary Comic Book #7

by Tariq Ali, Philip Evans

Brand NEW. We ship worldwide

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction, Biography, Philosophy, Comics, Graphic Novels

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Tariq Ali (Punjabi, Urdu: طارق علی) is a British-Pakistani historian, novelist, filmmaker, political campaigner, and commentator. He is a member of the editorial committee of the New Left Review and Sin Permiso, and regularly contributes to The Guardian, CounterPunch, and the London Review of Books.

He is the author of several books, including Can Pakistan Survive? The Death of a State (1991) , Pirates Of The Caribbean: Axis Of Hope (2006), Conversations with Edward Said (2005), Bush in Babylon (2003), and Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity (2002), A Banker for All Seasons (2007) and the recently published The Duel (2008).

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to this important communist theorist...wonderful art. One can only imagine how different things would have been had Trotsky had followed Lenin instead of Stalin. For those interested in providing security details to clients there are some very important lessons to learn here. A great introduction to this world changing assassination.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tariq Ali focuses almost exclusively on Trotsky's political life, leaving his personal life and even his military career during the civil war as no more than an afterthought. The aim of this political biography is to show that, for the most part, Trotsky and Lenin had similar theories of revolution, differing occasionally but generally converging in the end. Trotsky was politically aggressive, by which I mean he believed that the revolutionary struggle must be pushed aggressively forward, and that compromise with the bourgeoisie, whether revolutionary or reformist, must be avoided whenever possible, in favor of working class revolution. He also believed in the necessity of democratic action: open and unconstrained debate prior to making decisions, combined with party discipline in carrying out the agreed plan. In this, he and Lenin were of the same mind, until the necessities of war made democratic practice untenable. In the aftermath, though, Trotsky believed that democracy was essential, but by then it was too late: Stalin had consolidated power, and democracy became merely a means of identifying enemies to be liquidated.

Ali has only contempt for most of Trotsky's contemporaries and comrades: Kamenev, Zinoviev, Bucharin; and deep hatred for Stalin. Fittingly, as far as I can tell.

The period from around 1928 to 1940 is covered in just a few pages, other than an extended discussion of Stalinist perfidy in Spain, and the terrible decision (mandated by Stalin) of the German communist party not to join a united front with German socialists to oppose the Nazis starting in 1930, leading to the Nazi electoral victory in 1932 and all that came after. By 1928 Stalin was in control, Trotsky was stripped of all responsibility, and eventually expelled from the communist party. He left Russia in time to avoid a show trial, and eventually ended up in Mexico, where he lived the last three years, until eventually murdered by a soviet agent.

This book makes it clear that Trotsky was a brilliant intellectual, but doesn't adequately convey the extent to which Trotsky was able to turn theory into effective action. It completely downplays his role as head of the Red Army during the civil war, and says little about his role in St. Petersburg in seizing control of power there during the October revolution. But, it's a short book, and Trotsky's revolutionary theory was as good a choice as any other as the book's theme.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a communist, but I love Lev Davidovich Bronstein. A man of potent principle, a fighter, a thinker, a revolutionary, a person who gave a shit.

My son is busy reading his autobiography (which I read many years ago, just after I read the amazing biography of Trotsky by Isaac Deutscher), and I needed a quick reminder to ground myself in our discussions. This intro by Tariq Ali is a perfect primer. Whether on eis coming at it from my direction -- a many years admirer needing a refresher -- or the neophite's direction -- knowing nothing of Stalin's (that prick!) greatest critic and adversary -- this book is a perfect overview of what made Trotsky tick, what made him important, what made him a target of assassination, and what made and makes him one of the least appreciated "great men" of history.

I may not agree with him entirely, but I do love him and admire him. "All power to the Soviets!" right, Lev?

[Lukas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich habe das Buch bei einem Straßenfest der Linken gekauft, nachdem der Standbesitzer mir es den Lenin, Stalin und Marxbüchern (die bestimmt auch noch von mir gelesen werden) gegenüber empfahl.
Eine kurze und knappe Übersicht über Trotzki und seine Rolle in der Arbeiterbewegung. Viele Personen um ihn herum werden genannt und die Beziehungen und politischen Positionen, welche sich durchaus änderten und oft in Nuancen unterscheiden sind in humorvollen Karikaturen dargestellt. Vorwissen über die kommunistische, russische und europäische Geschichte ist wahrscheinlich hilfreich die zahlreichen Daten und Namen besser einzuordnen. Vieles in diesem Buch lese ich zum ersten Mal, weswegen ich trotz der Knappheit etwas überwältigt bin von Information. Nichtsdestotrotz ist es sicherlich ein guter Einstieg für einen Anfang, sozusagen, da zugrundeliegende Theorien wenig erklärt und lediglich genannt werden.
Drei Sterne für den Text, den Vierten für die tollen Illustrationen.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

now that I have completed this course i am ready for intermediate trotsky. it is to be hoped that one i will make it past advanced trotsky and become a master at trotsky. there are too few master trotskys in the world. this industry has suffered from a lack of talent in the pool.

[Logan Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read with fun illustrations. I'm not a "beginner" of early Soviet history, but my understanding of Trotsky's perspective and role in history is vague, so I thought this book would help. On some points it did; I sort of understand now what his thesis of "permanent revolution" is all about, but of course need to read more. This book would have benefited from being twice as long, since all the complex history that is covered is depicted at warp speed, and true beginners to Russian revolutionary history would have been lost. There was also nearly nothing written about Trotsky's personal life. His 3 years in Mexico were just noted as being where he eventually got assassinated. Nothing about his relationship with Frida Kahlo, which I think would have been an interesting thing to talk about.

[Rubin Mathias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and well written and illustrated. Tariq Ali explains the basics of Trotsky's life, his changing positions before the Bolshevik Revolution and of course critiques of Stalin. This includes of course his famous purges, anti-semite attacks on Trotsky, the counter-revolutionary action in Spain, the German communist decision to not side with the social democrats to counter Hitler. Quite memorable is the comparison of the purges show trials confessions to catholic confessions of the spanish inquisition.

[Brent]

I love Beginners books.

[Francisco Díez Buzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun pictures.

[Mark Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave it five stars for style and it was very entertaining.
I read it twice ,I don't do that very often.

[Nasr Hussein · Rating 4 out of 5]

كتاب لطيف فى عرض حياة تروتسكي ونبذة مختصرة عن افكاره

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN EASY-TO-APPROACH TO THE SOCIALIST PIONEER

This 1980 book begins with the statement, “Trotsky was the revolutionary closest to Lenin. Lenin called him ‘the ablest man in the Party…’ But it was Stalin, not Trotsky, who rose to power after Lenin’s death. Stalin tried everything to make Trotsky disappear from ‘official’ Soviet history. Censorship removed Trotsky from all pictures which showed him as a leader of the Russian Revolution next in importance to Lenin. For Stalin and his orthodox Communist followers, Trotsky became the devil incarnate. Every disaster at home, every set-back abroad could be explained away by blaming the ‘Trotskyite fascist-wreckers.’ In Moscow and Peking today the Trotskyite ‘criminal heresy’ is still regarded as the worst sin of all.” (Pg. 5-7)

It continues, “Trotsky’s real name was ‘Lev Davydovich Bronstein.’ He was born 26 October … 1879 in … a village in the southern Russian province of Kherson. His father was a reasonably well-off Jewish farmer. Only on the southern steppe were Jewish farmers treated somewhat equally. Otherwise they could not live outside the cities.” (Pg. 8)

Trotsky begins clandestine activity and organizes the South Russian Workers Union in 1897. The Tsarist police quickly hit back in 1898. Trotsky was arrested and placed in solitary confinement… In a two-year spell in prison Trotsky read Voltaire, Kant and especially Darwin… Trotsky is sentenced to four years deportation in Siberia. In prison he marries … Alexandra Sokolovskaya, who will accompany him to Siberia… In the arctic wastelands, `1902, Trotsky receives Lenin’s book, ‘What is to Be Done?’ and some copies of the revolutionary newspaper Iskra.” (Pg. 16-19) “In 1902 he says farewell to Alexandra and their two daughters born in Siberia---and escapes.” (Pg. 20)

“Trotsky’s talents are obvious. Lenin proposes he joins the Iskra editorial board. But one of the veterans on the Iskra board… blocks Trotsky’s nomination.” (Pg. 23) Lenin sends Trotsky on a lecture tour of the Russian colonies in Europe to raise money for Iskra. Trotsky’s enthusiastic guide around Paris is a Russian student, Natalia Ivanovna Sedova. Though Trotsky was legally married… Natalia became ‘Mrs. Trotsky,’ bore him two sons, and remained with him till his death.” (Pg. 24)

“In his battle against Lenin, Trotsky often resorted to vulgar personal abuse… Trotsky remained opposed to Lenin’s conception of the party for a whole decade. In ‘Our Political Tasks’ he savagely attacked many of Lenin’s formulas… Trotsky was closer to the Menshevik view of the party. But his grasp of revolutionary tactics let him further from them than even Lenin and the Bolsheviks. During every revolutionary upsurge Trotsky was closer to Lenin than many of the Bolshevik committee men.” (Pg. 29)

“Now Trotsky played a new card… Why do backward societies have to follow the same path as advanced ones? Trotsky’s ideas marked a radical break with the views of Western European socialists. He stood the accepted Marxist dogma on its head. Of course, Trotsky wasn’t the first to use the words ‘permanent revolution.” (Pg. 43)

“Trotsky escapes from Siberia, once again, in February 1907. In Vienna, 1908, he starts his own newspaper, Pravda, struggles for the unity of the party.” (Pg. 49) “Trotsky summed up this period: ‘In maintaining the standpoint of the permanent revolution during a period of fifteen years, the author nevertheless fell into effort in his estimation of the contending factions of the social-democratic movement… the author did not fully appreciate the very important circumstance that in reality… there were being grouped inflexible revolutionaries on the one side and, on the other, elements which were becoming more and more opportunist and accommodating…” (Pg. 50)

“The war drove many of these Russian intellectuals toward Bolshevism. Even Trotsky, self-confident, aware of his own talents, is forced to acknowledge that things are moving Lenin’s way in Russia. Strikes, mutiny and defeatism at the front, food shortages, peasant unrest…” (Pg. 58) “Trotsky was expelled from France as a ‘suspect alien’ and eventually came to the United States. He was in New York 10 weeks when the Russian Revolution broke out. Lenin, Trotsky and other exiles rush back as best they can!” (Pg. 59)

“Trotsky, named Commissar of Foreign Affairs, and emissaries of Soviet Russia arrive at Brest-Litovsk to negotiate peace at the end of November 1917. They confront the Generals, Princes and politicians of the German and Austro-Hungarian empires.” (Pg. 82) “Trotsky goes over to Lenin, and with the majority, acceptance of peace goes ahead.” (Pg. 85)

“Trotsky was given the responsibility of organizing the Red Army… Because his ability had already been proven by the military success of the October uprising… Trotsky moulds the Red Army into a fighting force without equal. In the years of Civil War and foreign intervention … he is the supreme strategist of the Revolution.” (Pg. 90, 92)

Lenin had written a ‘Last Testament’ which made one important demand: Stalin should be removed as General Secretary. The Politburo decided to keep quiet about the Testament. Despite bitter protests from Lenin’s widow, the Party Congress was not told. Trotsky accepted Party discipline once the decision was taken to suppress Lenin’s instructions. Trotsky did worse. He allowed himself to be talked into a compromise … He did not speak up on the Georgian question. He did not attack Stalin. His silence would prove costly.? (Pg. 111-112)

“Trotsky… understood that a real decline in class-consciousness had taken place. Revolution was defeated in Europe. In Russia, it degenerated. A new social layer arose and strengthened its grip on society as a whole.” (Pg 114) “Beginning in 1923 the Opposition found its leader in Trotsky. The bureaucratic system found its incarnation in Stalin. Beginning in 1923 an agitational campaign was launched against Trotsky… Trotsky was slandered as a criminal anti-Leninist.” (Pg. 116) “Should he have attempted a military coup? It went against Trotsky’s beliefs simply to replace bureaucratic rule by army rule.” (Pg. 117)

In 1925, “the Central Committee removes Trotsky from the Military Revolutionary Council and forbids him to engage in any new debates, But the Stalinists take the anti-Trotsky campaign to the country as a whole.” (Pg. 119) “Trotsky is handed an order authorizing his deportation in 1929.” (Pg. 134) “Trotsky will never see Russia again. He is bound for the Turkish island of Prinkipo… Trotsky’s application for asylum is refused by the German SDP government… Every European and North American state refuses him asylum… the planet is without a visa for Trotsky.” (Pg. 135-137) “In 1936, Trotsky wrote his last major work, ‘The Revolution Betrayed.’ In it he presents a complete, detailed criticism of Stalinism.” (Pg. 147) “Exiled, Trotsky went from Tukey to France, Norway, and to Mexico where he spent the last three years of his life.” ):g 162)

“Trotsky’s legacy is the unfinished struggle” for proletarian democracy, for genuine socialism and the overcoming of bureaucracy, for social revolution in the ‘Third World’ for internationalism.” (Pg. 165)

This book is a useful introduction to Trotsky’s life and ideas.

[Einzige · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had potential and the illustrations are nice but it really does fall short. You dont really get a feel for either Trotsky as a thinker or as person as the Book. After a biography of his early life the book is essentially the history of the Russian Revolution with a brief detour to the rise of Nazi Germany with little quips about how Trotsky was either right or should have been listened to at various points.

Secondly it takes consistently takes liberties with the truth in small but collectively significant ways throughout the book. At its worst it is things like Trotsky’s leading role in the suppression of the Krondstat Rebellion being minimised, while the victims of Stalin’s Great Purge being vastly higher than even hostile right wing accounts. Generally though its more along the lines of making the enemies of Russian Revolution just that little bit more sinister and more powerful.

[Leonardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sabía muy poco sobre Trotsky, ahora no sé mucho más, pero si, algo más. El libro es sencillo y clarito, entiendo que tiene las cosas relevantes, es una buena introducción. No ofrece mucho más, no le pidas mucho más. Es un libro pro-troskista anti-estalinista lo cuál parece lógico, pero no tendía porque serlo. No sabiendo mucho sobre el tema me parece una posición con la que estoy de acuerdo, pero entiendo que todavía hay estalinistas dando vueltas, o al menos algún anti-troskista, y es posible que sus posturas sean interesantes también. Me deja con ganas de leer algo más por el estilo, el de Che Guevara Para Principiantes (por lo menos, aunque también me llama el de Pacho O'Donnell) o no sé bien porque, el de Nietzsche Para Principiantes, que si bien no lo dice este libro sospecho que Trosky habrá leído Nietzsche.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

"For forty-three years of my conscious life I have remained a revolutionist; for forty-two of them I have fought under the banner of Marxism. If I had to begin all over again I would of course try to avoid this or that mistake, but the main course of my life would remain unchanged. I shall die a proletarian revolutionist, a Marxist, a dialectical materialist, and, consequently, an irreconcilable atheist. My faith in the communist future of mankind is not less ardent, indeed it is firmer today, than it was in the days of my youth. Natasha has just come up to the window from the courtyard and opened it wider so that the air may enter more freely into my room. I can see the bright green strip of grass beneath the wall, and the clear blue sky above the wall, and sunlight everywhere. Life is beautiful. Let the future generations cleanse it of all evil, oppression and violence, and enjoy it to the full."

[Daniel Schechtel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Fui un revolucionario durante mis cuarenta y tres años de vida consciente y durante cuarenta y dos luché bajo las banderas del marxismo. Si tuviera que comenzar todo de nuevo trataría, por supuesto, de evitar tal o cual error, pero en lo fundamental el curso de mi vida sería el mismo. Moriré siendo un revolucionario proletario, un marxista, un materialista dialéctico y, en consecuencia, un ateo irreconciliable. Mi fe en el futuro comunista de la humanidad no es hoy menos ardiente, aunque sí más firme, que en los días de mi juventud.

Natasha se acerca a la ventana y la abre desde el patio para que entre más aire en mi habitación. Puedo ver la brillante franja de pasto verde que se extiende tras el muro, arriba el cielo claro y azul, y el sol brilla en todas partes. La vida es hermosa. Que las futuras generaciones la libren de todo mal, opresión y violencia y la disfruten plenamente. "

Hermoso

[Lorelei · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the style of most of the '_________ For Beginners' books, but this one just doesn't seem to gel. It throws various names and facts out without putting them together into a picture of the man Trotsky. I found it somewhat disappointing therefore. I might still recommend it to someone who knew absolutely nothing about Trotsky or the Russian Revolution as a starting point, but only because I have not (yet) found a better very simple introduction to the man.

[Nepheli]

Ως κάποια που δεν έχει πολλή επαφή με την ιστορία και ακόμη λιγότερη με εκείνη των αρχών του 20ού αιώνα, και, αν και θέλω να μάθω περισσότερα, τα αμιγώς πολιτικά και ιστορικά κείμενα με κουράζουν, το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο ήταν ένας ιδανικός τρόπος για να πάρω μια γεύση για την εποχή και τους ανθρώπους που την έχτισαν. Κείμενα, περιεκτικά και ευκολονόητα με αποφθέγματα του Τρότσκι και άλλων, εικόνες και γελοιογραφίες που κάνουν την εμπειρία πολύ ευχάριστη - αυτό ακριβώς που χρειαζόμουν.

[Nativeabuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really like this series, but the fact that it isn't written by Rius really says it all. It is lower in quality than most of these books tend to be.

But that said, it is still a great entry in the series. It didn't really say much that a biography of Trotsky couldn't cover better, but if you need to know about about Trotsky and you only have an hour to spare pick this up.

[Benjamin Britton · Rating 4 out of 5]

“My faith in the communist future of mankind is not less ardent, indeed it is firmer today, then it was in the days of my youth... Life is beautiful. Let the future generations cleanse it of all evil, oppression, and violence and enjoy it to the full.”
Leon Trotsky

“Phil Evans’s witty drawing combine with Tariq Ali’s informative text and Trotsky’s own words, in an unforgettable portrait.”

[Al Capwned · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's funny but that's all there is to it. I know it's supposed to give just a taste of Trotsky's life and ideas but you cannot possibly get a good grasp of such complicated matters, such as the Russian Revolution, by a book of this style.

[Philadelphia Tee-roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps one of the best minds to come from that Era Trotsky for beginneers is a classic comic documentary in True form he makes a difficult topic palpable for the average person

[Bryan Fordham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting format, good information. Bit jumpy in areas, and illustrations waivered between clever/amusing and distracting. Overall a quick and enjoyable read.

[Susan Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! A very interesting history and the pictures and style helped to explain some pretty complicated historical events.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

"March separately, but strike together!"

[Darryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and pretty easy to follow.

[MSuk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Polemical.

[Hogfather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike the other book in this series that I've read, Lenin for Beginners, Trotsky for Beginners feels like nothing so much as a story of tragedy. Tariq Ali is great at contextualizing and explaining Trotsky with as little words as possible; he writes very successfully for the medium of comics, and Phil Evans's cartoons are always fun and lively. Neither man shies away from the failures and shortcomings of Trotsky, giving the man and his movement the proper context and showing how they have or have not been successful without bias or self-deception.

[Allan Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again a graphic novel gives us the pre and post-revolutionary history with its cast of hundreds, each blowing a different facet of revolutionary theory, and with Trotsky centre-stage, who always seems to be more right than the others, even if it is not realised until years later. Then the movement gets stolen by Stalin; Trotsky unable or unwilling to stand up to him immediately enough, as his influence is eroded by Stalin, until his eventual death.
If one doesn't remember the detail, one will still remember the flavour of the politics, struggle and historical unfolding - A worthwhile read.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid, comprehensive ideological overview of Trotskyism. But alas, this cartoon volume completely ignores large chunks of Trotsky’s life-and his life was really interesting-especially his years as a war reporter in the Balkans and as an amateur archaeologist/adventurer a la’ Indiana Jones.
So only 3 stars as being overly polemical. It is ideologically Solid, but very much a book from the 1980s.