From: Godenas-AT-aol.com
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 14:17:00 -0500
Subject: Re: On Trotsky


Deutscher, by the time of his death in 1967, was surely a spent figure
politically, villified on both the right and left (and for pretty much the
same reasons).  This prefigured by several years the death of Polish marxism
itself, out of which Deutscher emerged and from which he never fully
distanced himself.  He was a first rate biographer, though it is clear with
hindsight that much of what he wrote politically does not stand up well
today.  His posthumously published "The Unfinished Revolution" is a good
example of that.  Trotsky borrowed liberally from everyone.  He had great
gifts of exposition, but was not himself a terribly original thinker. His
talents as a propagandist were unmatched.  I believe the legacy of Trotsky
can be seen in these tiny little sects that overpopulate the left today.
 Hatred of Stalinism, which quickly nudges over into  anti-communism, an
impatience with the tedium of sinking deep roots among the masses,  a disdain
for organizations which they cannot dominate, etc., these are the hallmarks
of the modern Trotskyite.  Trotsky, to me, was a lot like Karl Radek, another
original Bolshevik.  "A fervent revolutionary, one never knew where to find
him on any particular issue.  He bubbled over with ideas; but he seldom knew
how to distinguish between good ideas and bad ones, or between the time to be
silent and the time to talk.  All this created an impression of unreliability
and lack of principle....He was a chronic dissenter,...unlike Trotsky, he
found no followers, since he had no dissident principles or creed."   I began
this thread in response to a friend's query about Trotsky and some possible
reading which could be done as a first introduction to the subject.  I must
confess, however, to a profound dislike for this man and most of his
followers.  It is time to let others take this where they may.
                                             Louis Godena  


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