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Marxist theory from the days of Karl Marx had stated that the socialist revolution would automatically happen some years after capitalism and the bourgeoisie had triumphed over feudalism. It would happen when the industrial proletariat, organized by the party, overthrows capitalism in advanced industrial states. Thee revolution, according to this theory, could not happen in undeveloped countries like Russia in 1905 because they had not yet reached the proper stage of development.  

Marxist theory from the days of Karl Marx had stated that the socialist revolution would automatically happen some years after capitalism and the bourgeoisie had triumphed over feudalism. It would happen when the industrial proletariat, organized by the party, overthrows capitalism in advanced industrial states. Thee revolution, according to this theory, could not happen in undeveloped countries like Russia in 1905 because they had not yet reached the proper stage of development.  

Yet the left hoped to start a revolution in Russia--it almost succeeded in 1905 and did succeed in 1917. Trotsky was there to adjust Marxist theory to real life. He argued for an immediate seizure of power everywhere in order to telescope the bourgeois and socialist revolutions into one seamless sequence. That was "permanent revolution."

Yet the left hoped to start a revolution in Russia--it almost succeeded in 1905 and did succeed in 1917. Trotsky was there to adjust Marxist theory to real life. He argued for an immediate seizure of power everywhere in order to telescope the bourgeois and socialist revolutions into one seamless sequence. That was "permanent revolution." Trotsky maintained that revolution would spread worldwide after the international proletariat's aid to the Russian workers, who in turn would 'export' the revolution abroad.

Trotsky broke with [[Joseph Stalin]] in the 1920s and was expelled from Russia, but before he was murdered at Stalin's command in 1940 Trotsky preached "permanent revolution" as a rallying cry for the anti-capitalist far left.   

[[Joseph Stalin]] had an opposing viewpoint. Stalin's thesis on socialism in one country, launched in 1926, brought Trotsky into conflict with the Bolshevik leadership, eager to exploit his real and alleged divergences from Marxism-Leninism.  Trotsky broke with Stalin by 1928 and was expelled from Russia. Before he was murdered at Stalin's command in 1940 Trotsky preached "permanent revolution" as a rallying cry for the anti-capitalist far left.   

Paleoconservative historians in recent years have alleged that [[Neoconservative]] believe in the Trotskyite Permanent Revolution because most of them came out of the Trotskyite cause in the 1930s. That is false.  There are four fundamental flaws in the paleoconservatives' attack: most of the neoconservatives were never Trotskyites; none of them ever subscribed to the right-wing Socialism of Max Shachtman; the assertion that neoconservatives subscribe to 'inverted Trotskyism' is misleading; and neoconservatives advocate democratic globalism, not permanent revolution.<ref>See King (2005) </ref>  Thus very few neoconservatives ever were Trotskyites, and even those discarded permanent Revolution when they rejected all forms of Communism.<ref> [[Irving Kristol]] for a while was a Trotskyite. As he noted, "I’ve been a neo-something: a neo-Marxist, a neo-Trotskyist, a neo-liberal, a neo-conservative and, in religion, always a neo-orthodox, even while I was a neo-Trotskyist and a neo-Marxist."</ref>

[[Paleoconservative]] historians in recent years have alleged that [[Neoconservative]] believe in the Trotskyite Permanent Revolution because most of them came out of the Trotskyite cause in the 1930s. That is false.  There are four fundamental flaws in the paleoconservatives' attack: most of the neoconservatives were never Trotskyites; none of them ever subscribed to the right-wing Socialism of Max Shachtman; the assertion that neoconservatives subscribe to 'inverted Trotskyism' is misleading; and neoconservatives advocate democratic globalism, not permanent revolution.<ref>See King (2005) </ref>  Thus very few neoconservatives ever were Trotskyites, and even those discarded permanent Revolution when they rejected all forms of Communism.<ref> [[Irving Kristol]] for a while was a Trotskyite. As he noted, "I’ve been a neo-something: a neo-Marxist, a neo-Trotskyist, a neo-liberal, a neo-conservative and, in religion, always a neo-orthodox, even while I was a neo-Trotskyist and a neo-Marxist."</ref>

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* King, William F. "Neoconservatives and 'Trotskyism'." ''American Communist History'' 2004 3(2): 247-266

* King, William F. "Neoconservatives and 'Trotskyism'." ''American Communist History'' 2004 3(2): 247-266

* Thatcher, Ian. "Leon Trotsky and 1905" ''History Review,'' Sept 2005, Issue 52, pp 21-25, in [[EBSCO]]

* Thatcher, Ian. "Leon Trotsky and 1905" ''History Review,'' Sept 2005, Issue 52, pp 21-25, in [[EBSCO]]

* Trotsky, Leon. ''The Age of Permanent Revolution: A Trotsky Anthology'' ed. by Isaac Deutscher (1965)

* Trotsky, Leon. ''The Age of Permanent Revolution: A Trotsky Anthology'' ed. by Isaac Deutscher (1965); primary sources

 

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[[Category:Communism]]

[[Category:Communism]]