Leon Trotsky and the Organizational Principles of the Revolutionary Party

by Dianne Feeley, Paul Le Blanc, Thomas Twiss

This is the first comprehensive examination of Leon Trotsky's view on revolutionary organizational principles, and the dynamic interplay of democratic initiative and principled centralism. Mostly in his own words, these writings are grounded in Trotsky's experience in Russia's revolutionary movement, as a leader of the International Left Opposition and Fourth International.

Genres: Politics, History

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2014

Reviews

[Soph Nova · Rating 5 out of 5]

damn this hit hard i think every cadre of DSA needs to read this and consider what is being talked about here! Trotsky's words on sectarianism have never rung truer.

[Bill Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brief but thorough examination of Trotsky's views on the political basis for revolutionary organization. Presented as a collection of his most valuable writings on the problem of organization with some commentary and background, Feeley, Le Blanc and Twiss allow Trotsky to present in his own words the case for democratic centralism, which never exists as an anachronistic formula, but rather a living practice of creating first the basis for democratic debate among revolutionaries followed by the centralism of discipline, feeding back to discussion and so on. Trotsky argues in the words of Goethe that "you must win a thing again and again in order to possess it," and hence that it is only through a process of democratic centralism that the revolutionary organization can embark on the process of "successive approximations" that lead the way to a correct policy and action.

This book provided me the most elegant formulation of democratic centralism I've read in a while, a problem I've been pondering for some time in the context of my experience on the American and British revolutionary lefts. It was written originally as a minority case for democracy by members of the American SWP. Comrades from my current of International Socialism which has certain differences with the praxis of the 4th International's tradition will also find in it much of value that complements our views in books such as "Party and Class" by Harman, Hallas and Cliff.

[Juan Pablo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a very short book. It reinforces the notion that in any socialist movement, inside the party, democracy is essential so as to keep the party from becoming tyrannical & out of the hands of only a few. Dissent & open debate must be allowed & plenty of historical examples as to why it is necessary are provided. An okay book.