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Leon Trotsky Speaks
The major political questions of the 20th century, discussed by an outstanding communist leader. Includes a defense of the right to revolution, made in 1906 in the prisoner's dock of the tsarist courts; speeches as a leader of the revolutionary government following the Bolshevik-led revolution; and I Stake My Life, Trotsky's 1937 defense of his 20-year Bolshevik course and challenge to the organizers of Joseph Stalin's frame-up trials.
427 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
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Leon Trotsky
1,070 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 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 11, 2019
I just finished reading Leon Trotsky Speaks. A great collection of speeches made by Trotsky covering three historical periods: 1906-1917 - highlighting the preparation for the socialist/bolshevik revolution in Russia; 1917-1929 - emphasizing his thoughts and roles as the Commissar of Foreign Affairs, Commissar of War and as the defender of worker's democracy and internationalism as well as Marxist-Leninist thinking and policies in the face of the the growing Stalinist bureaucracy which signaled the death warning signs of the October Revolution; 1929-1940 - pointing out the lunacy of the show trials and purges of the Old Bolsheviks as well as predicting WWII well before it happened and Stalin's stupidity in trying to work with Hitler. In addition making crystal clear that he and the Left Opposition are the only true heirs to Marxist-Leninist teachings and policies. He predicts the internal collapse of the Soviet Union which was bound to happen for the things that Stalin did.
October 31, 2025
A fine collection of some of Trotsky's most important speeches of those few that have been preserved for posterity. It starts with his defense of the 1905 Revolution, while on trial for "insurrection." It continues through the 1917 Revolution, the Brest-Litovsk peace negotiations, into the Civil War, and beyond.
Then it goes, as it must, into Trotsky' battle to form a new international, when Stalinism has spread confusion and corruption everywhere. One of the few chances to address a mass audience (2,000) was in 1932 when a Danish Social Democratic youth group invited Trotsky to give a lecture on the Russian Revolution in Denmark. He spoke in German, and the pamphlet was translated by Pioneer Publishers, processors of Pathfinder Press, and made into a pamphlet, "In Defense of the Russian Revolution." Then you have the address of Trotsky in English to the "Dewey Commission" investigating the Moscow Trials against him, entitled "I Stake My Life." See The Case of Leon Trotsky: Report of Hearings on the Charges Made against Him in the Moscow Trials.
The major political questions of the 20th century, discussed by an outstanding communist leader. Includes a defense of the right to revolution, made in 1906 in the prisoner's dock of the tsarist courts; speeches as a leader of the revolutionary government following the Bolshevik-led revolution; and 'I Stake My Life,' Trotsky's 1937 defense of his 20-year Bolshevik course and challenge to the organizers of Joseph Stalin's frame-up trials.
I also suggest My Life: An Attempt at an Autobiography.
“Sets out to justify the orator’s enormous reputation.…The editing and notes…are graceful, accurate and concise.” —Soviet Studies
“Attempts to let Trotsky speak for himself about major events in his life.… A number of writings have been translated and published in English here for the first time.… Provides valuable and welcome introductory material to each selection.” —Choice
It includes a few Trotsky writings that were not actually speeches but have a speech-like quality to them.
Then it goes, as it must, into Trotsky' battle to form a new international, when Stalinism has spread confusion and corruption everywhere. One of the few chances to address a mass audience (2,000) was in 1932 when a Danish Social Democratic youth group invited Trotsky to give a lecture on the Russian Revolution in Denmark. He spoke in German, and the pamphlet was translated by Pioneer Publishers, processors of Pathfinder Press, and made into a pamphlet, "In Defense of the Russian Revolution." Then you have the address of Trotsky in English to the "Dewey Commission" investigating the Moscow Trials against him, entitled "I Stake My Life." See The Case of Leon Trotsky: Report of Hearings on the Charges Made against Him in the Moscow Trials.
The major political questions of the 20th century, discussed by an outstanding communist leader. Includes a defense of the right to revolution, made in 1906 in the prisoner's dock of the tsarist courts; speeches as a leader of the revolutionary government following the Bolshevik-led revolution; and 'I Stake My Life,' Trotsky's 1937 defense of his 20-year Bolshevik course and challenge to the organizers of Joseph Stalin's frame-up trials.
I also suggest My Life: An Attempt at an Autobiography.
“Sets out to justify the orator’s enormous reputation.…The editing and notes…are graceful, accurate and concise.” —Soviet Studies
“Attempts to let Trotsky speak for himself about major events in his life.… A number of writings have been translated and published in English here for the first time.… Provides valuable and welcome introductory material to each selection.” —Choice
It includes a few Trotsky writings that were not actually speeches but have a speech-like quality to them.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews