Permanent Revolution

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"Permanent revolution" evokes Leon Trotsky, much like "relativity" invokes Albert Einstein, both theories sharing originality and scope. Trotsky, a key Bolshevik revolutionary and Marxist theorist, played a vital role in the Russian Revolution and early Soviet politics. He served as Commissar for Foreign Affairs, founded the Red Army, and was Commissar of War. In the 1920s, he opposed Stalin's bureaucratic regime, leading to his expulsion from the Communist Party and subsequent deportation during the Great Purge. Despite his exile, Trotsky founded the Fourth International, advocating for workers and oppressed peoples to unite against capitalism and pursue socialist revolution. Praise for Trotsky's insights on permanent revolution underscores their significance. Hugo Chavez expressed alignment with Trotsky's views, while Li Fu-jen emphasized that Trotsky's writings are essential for anyone aiming to lead the working class in the fight for socialism, whether in capitalist nations or colonial contexts. Ted Grant noted that Trotsky's theory centers on the inability of the colonial bourgeoisie and those in underdeveloped countries to fulfill the tasks of a bourgeois democratic revolution. This highlights the enduring relevance of Trotsky's ideas in revolutionary strategy and socialist thought.