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Talk:World History Lecture Eleven (view source)
Revision as of 12:20, April 24, 2009
, 12:20, April 24, 2009→Regarding Trotsky: new section
:::::::::: BTW, BHarlan talks about a conclusion drawn from the postulates, not the postulates themselves.
:::::::::: BTW, BHarlan talks about a conclusion drawn from the postulates, not the postulates themselves.
:::::::::: [[User:ClementB|Clement ♗]] 07:25, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
:::::::::: [[User:ClementB|Clement ♗]] 07:25, 22 April 2009 (EDT)
== Regarding Trotsky ==
While I was perusing the site last night I happened across the section eleven homework assignments and was curious as to which mottoes by John Smith and Trotsky were being referred to in one of the questions. I checked out the lecture and found the section in question and I believe there is a problem with context involved.
Whereas the Englishman Captain John Smith famously stated in the early days of the Jamestown settlement,
“He that will not work shall not eat, ”Trotsky’s famous motto was this: “Those who do not obey do not eat.”
For one, the John Smith quote seems to indicate that "He that will not work, shall not eat" is a phrase coined by John Smith. It might be good to give proper attribution to the Bible, which is where the thought originated.
Also, regarding the Trotsky quote: ''Trotsky’s famous motto was this: “Those who do not obey do not eat.”'' This indicates heavily that Trotsky advocated such a thought process and that this sentiment was inherent to the birth of communism. This is false. While communist dictators throughout the world have proven belief in this sentiment through atrocious acts of government, it was in no way Trotsky's belief or line of thinking nor was it expressed in the origins of communism as a political and economic theory. While claiming to espouse a saying more akin to "He that will not work, shall not eat", it was in fact '''Stalin''' who most embodied the phrase “Those who do not obey do not eat.”
Now I am certainly not going to make an argument for communism here, it is simply not a functional system of government, I will say that Trotsky as a historical figure has been improperly quoted via lack of significant context. Trotsky voraciously opposed the totalitarian government of Stalin which was the reason for his exile and assassination. “Those who do not obey do not eat.” was Trotsky's response to the 1936 constitution of the U.S.S.R. including the phrase :
In the U.S.S.R. work is a duty and a matter of honor for every able-bodied citizen, in accordance with the principle: "He who does not work, neither
shall he eat."
“Those who do not obey do not eat.” was Trotsky's condemnation of Stalin's methods and was what Trotsky believed to be Stalin's true "motto".
On a lighter note: It may be interesting to your students that after Trotsky's assassin buried a pick-axe in his skull, The sixty year old man remained conscious and actually fought his attacker with an axe sticking out of his head. Trotsky didn't die until the next day. I've always found that interesting.