Hello there, I am a anti-Stalinist Marxist, and have some questions regarding trotskyism. I began from the liberterian socialist tradition, then moved towards left communism, and then kinda arrived at a liberterian Trotskyism of sorts. But there are things I wanna clarify, because I can't quite pin down some of Trotsky (and Lenin too in some respects):

1. Is Trotsky advocating for worker's councils?

As far as I know, the biggest difference between the left communists and genuine Leninists is that the latter advocated for a Central Executive Committee that was composed of delegates selected by the councils. Therefore all planning and decision making is to be carried out by and through through Soviets. The party post revolution is but an influential activist organisa,ntion. This is kind of what State and Revolution says, and it's pretty non-authoritarian. Now post Civil War, bureaucratic degeneration of the Party took hold and once Lenin died, the revolution was compromised. But then the question becomes, what was Trotsky's solution to this? I haven't read much of him, from what I have gathered, he advocated for a Party centric state in the Soviet Union, just with more internal democracy and debating factions. I think. Now the question is, did he desire this to be the state of the Union indefinitely, instead of going back to the Soviets? And was the State and Revolution plan suitable only for countries where everything goes according to plan? Its a bit confusing, because Trotsky didn't exactly seem to advocate for a majority transfer of power away from the Party anytime after Lenin died, but I may be wrong. This is what I need elaboration on.

2. What was the reasoning for the brutal suppression of Kronstadt? Now I can understand that it was a very sudden, disruptive, and dangerous event, given that the total removal of the Bolsheviks may have compromised the State. Quite understandable, given the state of the Soviets at the time. But would it not have been better to have negotiated? Would it not have been better to not have executed all of them? The way I have read it, the Stalinists see it as a just thing, whereas the Trotskyists, who understand the history better, see it as a tragic mistake that may have compromised the working class character of the revolution, but much of the suppression was necessary. What's your view? Was it a case of excessive paranoia? And I hope that the ultimate conclusion is that it was irrational to execute them, and we should avoid such mistakes in the future.

3. Would it be safe to say that the USSR post Stalin became state capitalist? During Trotsky, it seems he was hesitant to call it state capitalism, because capitalism as such was eliminated, only capitalist relations (employer, employee, employee doesn't own the means of production) remains. Tony Cliff says that this factor is what qualifies as socialism, therefore an absence of this is some form of capitalism. I think Trotsky agree? Because he calls this as something between capitalism and socialism, but not either per say. But it's safe to say that market relations became pretty significant post Stalin, so would that fit this view?

4. What work, do you think, expresses the genuine Leninist principles, not even Trotskyist per say, but Leninist principles, against the Marxism-Leninism of Stalin? On a basically point by point refutation basis.

This place is a breath of fresh air after ya know, the Stalinist areas, so I hope this will be a genuinely academic discussion. Thank you, have a good day.

Hello there, first of all, i am not a native english speaker and my english may be extremely crappy, dont judge me fellas please.

So, i am a 19yo guy living in belgium and recently (since +- 1year), i am interested in politics and history BUT damn there is as many informations as stars in the cosmos so thats hard to know everything, i can even say i know absolutely nothing.

I know i’m REALLY left winged, i also know i am against capitalism reign, private property, faschists, racists, and all of these waste of human beings..

I hate richs and i want money to be more fairly distributed, i am not really a friend of cops neither and i think they have way too much power against population (at least in my country)

After reading many articles, texts and seeking some informations, i think i tend to be really near to trotskyism, but my questions are :

• What are the difference between Trotskyism, Stalinism and Leninism ?

• Why are they all attached to Marx if they are THAT different ?

• Why are people talking about « State Capitalism » when it comes to communism (especially USSR) ? and has a real communist country ever existed ?

• Why Trotski got killed if theyre both from the same political border with Stalin?

• What should i call myself in politics ? man im so lost lmaooo

And is there people here who would be okay to talk with me and answer all of my all interrogations ?

Sorry for the child level english i REALLY did my best :,)

This is from a left-wing blog I read fairly regularly. I'm curious what the subs' thoughts are on the prospects for Badenoch as Tory leader and what they make of the analysis in the blog - any thoughts?

"In all the hullabaloo surrounding last week’s presidential election it was perhaps understandable that the mainstream media relegated the Tory Party leadership election result to a small paragraph at the bottom of page nine. They regarded it as small potatoes of little interest compared to the resurrection of Trump. That even left wing socialist newspapers and websites in the UK barely devoted a dozen lines to it is a bit more surprising, given that socialists generally hold that the main enemy is at home. Maybe they think that because Labour is in power it is now the main enemy and the Tories are reduced to a footnote. In its 190 year history the Conservative Party has been the most successful bourgeois political  party in Europe, if not the world. Despite recent electoral setbacks and the challenge of Farage’s Reform Party the capitalists will not lightly abandon a tool that has served them so well for so long. Given the bleak economic prospects for the new Labour government the Tories have some hope of staging a comeback in the not too distant future."

https://thestruggle.home.blog/2024/11/14/the-struggle-against-the-new-tory-leader/

Is there a quote from Lenin saying that the faction ban was only temporary or something? I'm very curious.

Help me understand: Cannon, Shachtman, Cliff, Healy, Grant, Woods, Pablo, Moreno, Posada, etc... which are the main umbrella trends and what are/were their strategies?

In his essay about the Comintern’s Third Period, he wrote that the Comintern had Zinovievist ultra left mistakes from 1924-25, when they thought a revolutionary wave was about to occur when it wasn’t. This was followed by right wing opportunism from 25-27, and finally the repetition of the Zinovievist mistakes since 1928. What mistakes is he referring to?

I read this today. The blog is from a Trotskyist/Marxist group. What are your thoughts on this? Is it possible/feasible?

"As with the struggle against Apartheid South Africa, the route forward is through large scale, independent action by the working class. In the UK this would mean the refusal to handle any material or cargo known, or suspected, to be destined for the Israeli military or security apparatus or for use in the suppliers active in the UK. It is this pressure, from the organised working class, which can cripple the Israeli war machine and push them to a peace agreement."

https://thestruggle.home.blog/2024/10/03/the-struggle-against-the-zionist-regime/

In the early 30s Stalinist policy in Europe was to attack the social democrats as “social fascists.” Why would a degenerated workers state call for such an aggressive position, instead of telling the KPD to work with the SPD?

Trotskyists of the World

https://csw-pdx.org/2024/08/24/carpenters-local-503-calls-for-workers-action-to-stop-the-u-s-israel-war-on-gaza/

On 6/14/2024 at Carpenters Local 503 a motion was made, seconded, and the membership present passed the following motion:

WHEREAS solidarity with workers everywhere is a crucial part of labor unionism, and the workers' struggle has no borders.

WHEREAS every day now we are seeing the horrifying bombing and massive killing of the working people of Gaza and their families with arms supplied by the same U.S. government that carries out strike breaking against workers here. Over 37,000, including at least 15,000 children, have already been killed and the death toll grows higher day by day while millions more suffer from displacement and starvation.

WHEREAS working-class opposition to this U.S./Israel war goes hand in hand with the labor motto, "An injury to one is an injury to all."

THEREFORE, be it resolved that UBC Local 503 supports the Palestinian trade unions' call for labor everywhere to stop the shipment of arms for this U.S./Israel war; that we salute dock and transport workers such as in Tacoma WA and San Francisco CA, as well as across the globe such as in India, Belgium and Spain, who have stated their refusal to handle arms shipments for this war; and that we support and encourage efforts for further workers' actions to stop the arms shipments; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, opposing what is in effect yet another U.S. war, this time against the people of Gaza; we call for the immediate end to Israel's bombing of Gaza; for Israel to vacate Gaza and the West Bank, and to end all arming and funding for it now.

Looking for analysis texts by trotskyists on Tito's Yugoslavia and its collapse after the Tito-Stalin split.

Yugoslavia seemed to enact some elements of trotskyism, perhaps unconsciously, so I am curious what trotskyists think of it?

A longer read, but worth it:

"Such is the scope and scale of events over the past two and a half years that it is entirely possible to be overwhelmed, and to be overwhelmed quickly. Between the press, social media (which the bourgeoisie have now fully adapted to) and the ‘we must do something!’ types in the Labour party, the drumbeat became ‘death to Russia, arm Ukraine!’ at ear-splitting volume. It is precisely for these periods of intense turmoil at every level within the capitalist system that we dedicate what little spare time we have to the careful study of history, theory and philosophy during those periods of (relative) peace. Without the map and compass offered by Marxism, bombarded by propaganda in the media, our voices drowned out by the drumbeat for escalation and direct intervention, it is all too easy to become lost, drifting and isolated."

https://thestruggle.home.blog/2024/07/15/the-struggle-against-imperialism-in-ukraine/

No Vote to Labour!Down with Starmer—no to austerity, genocide and war!

https://bolsheviktendency.org/2024/06/26/no-vote-to-labour-2/

Break with Starmer’s pro-business Labour Party!

No vote to Labour ‘left’ fraudsters!

Vote for working-class opponents of austerity, genocide and war!

Forward to a mass revolutionary workers’ party!