Date:         Fri, 05 Apr 96 09:26:45 EST
Subject:      Re: Who won in Vietnam?


On Fri, 5 Apr 1996 04:37:47 -0600 Rahul Mahajan said:

>[Trotsky's]
>first break with Stalin over policy was that he wanted to murder the kulaks
>and force collectivization at a time when Stalin was still following a
>policy of appeasing the right. Later, Stalin did exactly what Trotsky had
>suggested, which resulted in a bloodbath and the persistent failure of
>Soviet agriculture to develop in any reasonable way.


Rahul,

It's often been said that Stalin stole Trotsky's *industrial* policy
(with or without distortions). But I haven't before seen it claimed that
Stalin's agricultural policy -- forced collectivization -- came from
Trotsky. My recollection is that the Left Opposition in the late 20's
(the period I assume you have in mind) stood for agricultural cooperatives
and *promoting* collectivization.

What leads you to think otherwise?

Walter Daum


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