# Trotsky **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 5, 2000, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trotsky/28187 "2000-08-05T01:52:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@Jello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jello)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2000, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trotsky/28187/1 "2000-08-05T01:52:00Z")
What were the political differences between Trotsky and Stalin, or between Trotsky and Lenin? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2000, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trotsky/28187/2 "2000-08-05T02:40:23Z")
I hear Stalin was quite a violent little chap… other than that, they’re all Commies. Just how deep do you want to dig? I’m sure there’s tons of differences politically. Just what are you looking for? This is akin to asking “What are the political differences between the last 10 Republican US Presidents?”. Too wide a scope to answer directly. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2000, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trotsky/28187/3 "2000-08-05T02:50:10Z")
Well, the differences went WAY beyond the politics they espoused. But the fundamental question that divided the two was this: according to Karl Marx, a backward, feudal nation like Russia was the LAST place Communism should have taken hold. The revolution was SUPPOSED to start in advanced, capitalist nations like England and Germany, and was supposed to spread over the entire world. Well, in the 1920s, Russia found itself alonem, the ONLY communist state on earth. So, what was the best plan? Stalin believed the answer was for Russia to go it alone, to build “socialism in one country,” by using the power of the state to FORCE Russia through the transformations Marx had predicted would occur naturally. Trotsky believed that communism would have to take hold in the rest of the world before it could be secure in Russia. Does that mean Trotsky was “nicer” than Stalin? Not necessarily. While there MIGHT have been less bloodshed in Russia if Trotsky had replaced Lenin, rather than Stalin, it’s far from obvious that he was a democrat! ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2000, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trotsky/28187/4 "2000-08-05T14:08:03Z")
From Merriam-Webster: > [@](#): > > Main Entry: Trots·ky·ism > Pronunciation: 'trät-skE-"i-z&m, 'trot- > Function: noun > Date: 1925 > : the political, economic, and social principles advocated by Trotsky; especially : the theory and practice of communism developed by or associated with Trotsky and usually including adherence to the concept of worldwide revolution as opposed to socialism in one country ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2000, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trotsky/28187/5 "2000-08-05T19:09:41Z")
Astorian Nailed it on the head. I doubt I could add any real additional information about the differances between Trotsky and Unlce Joe. Osip Now if I can only remember if it was an Ice pick or an oce hatchet in Mexico city. ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trotsky/28187/6 "2000-08-05T19:21:50Z")
Ever seen the One Act, “Variations on the Death of Trotsky” (part of the collection \* All in the Timing \* )? It was a pickaxe, BTW.