Permanent Revolution

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"Permanent revolution" evokes Leon Trotsky, much like "relativity" conjures Albert Einstein, reflecting their profound originality and scope. Trotsky, a pivotal Bolshevik revolutionary and Marxist theorist, played a crucial role in the Russian revolution and early Soviet politics. He served as Commissar for Foreign Affairs, founded and commanded the Red Army, and held the position of Commissar of War. In the 1920s, he opposed Stalin's bureaucratic control of the Soviet Union, which led to his expulsion from the Communist Party and subsequent deportation during the Great Purge. Even in exile, as the founder of the Fourth International, Trotsky championed the unity of workers and oppressed peoples against capitalism and advocated for socialist revolution. Praise for his work highlights its significance: Hugo Chavez aligned with Trotsky's vision of permanent revolution, while Li Fu-jen emphasized its foundational role in proletarian revolutionary strategy for aspiring leaders in both capitalist and colonial contexts. Ted Grant noted that Trotsky's theory underscores the inability of the colonial and backward bourgeoisie to fulfill the tasks of a bourgeois democratic revolution.