Ones and Tooze Heterodox Economists: Leon Trotsky
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Dec 26, 2025 This discussion dives deep into the life and legacy of Leon Trotsky, exploring his revolutionary journey and the concept of permanent revolution. The hosts unpack his critical role during the turmoil of 1917-1921 and contrast his internationalism with Stalin's isolationist strategies. They also examine Trotsky's thoughts on art, highlighting his materialist criticism and disdain for Soviet cultural norms. The conversation touches on Trotskyism's enduring impact and speculates on what might have happened if Trotsky had led a state.
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Peripatetic Revolutionary Origins
- Trotsky lived a marginal, peripatetic life as Lev Bronstein from a Jewish family in Ukraine and spent long periods in exile.
- His life of arrests, exile, and internationalism shaped his commitment to global revolution and clashes with Stalin.
Theory Rooted In Revolutionary Failure
- Trotsky's experience leading the 1905 uprising and organizing the Red Army made him a theorist of revolutionary practice and failure.
- That hands-on role fed his ideas about permanent revolution and the dynamics of revolutionary survival.
Permanent Revolution vs. National Stabilization
- Permanent revolution rejects rigid stage theories and insists revolutions must expand beyond national limits to avoid external reaction.
- Trotsky argued revolution must be continuous and international, opposing Stalin's 'socialism in one country'.
