description Terrorism and Communism Overview
"Terrorism and Communism" is a 1920 political treatise written by Leon Trotsky as a direct rebuttal to the Marxist theorist Karl Kautsky. In the book, Trotsky defends the actions of the Bolshevik government during the Russian Civil War, specifically justifying the use of revolutionary violence and the Red Terror. He argues that coercive measures are necessary to secure the dictatorship of the proletariat against counter-revolutionary forces. The work serves as a primary source for understanding early Soviet ideological justifications for state repression.
help Terrorism and Communism FAQ
Who wrote Terrorism and Communism, and who was it aimed at?
Leon Trotsky wrote the 1920 treatise as a direct reply to the Marxist theorist Karl Kautsky. It is a polemical response to a named opponent, not a neutral history of communism.
What political violence does Terrorism and Communism defend?
Trotsky defends the Bolshevik government's use of revolutionary terror and coercion during the Russian Civil War. He presents the Red Terror as a wartime response to counterrevolution and the White Terror.
Is Trotsky's book the same work as Karl Kautsky's Terrorism and Communism?
No. Kautsky published his own book under that title in 1919, and Trotsky's 1920 work was written as the answer to it.
What does Trotsky argue about dictatorship and democracy in this pamphlet?
The argument centers on the Marxist idea of the dictatorship of the proletariat and rejects Kautsky's criticism of Bolshevik rule. Trotsky also discusses revolutionary history, including the Paris Commune of 1871, to support his case.
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