i've written up a practice for the history is about winners questions. just wondering if anybody could have a look and provide some comment or criticism.
“History is about winners” How accurate is this statement in relation to the personality you have studied?
The study of Leon Trotsky reveals that the statement “History is about winners” is not entirely true and that figures within history are remembered as much for being winners or being on the winning side as they are for failing to win or being on the losing side.
Trotsky is widely regarded as the influential co-ordinator of the events of 1917 concerning the Bolshevik seizure of power. He was instrumental in establishing the Military Revolutionary Committee and depriving the provisional government of support, both militarily and politically. Indeed it was Trotsky along with Lenin who argued for the revolution to occur at all, and it was Trotsky who established the second All Russian Congress of Soviets as the guise for revolution. Historian Michael Lynch best summarises Trotsky’s role in the Russian revolution when he says, “If Lenin was the Grand Architect then Trotsky was the master builder.” It can therefore be said that Trotsky was a winner in this aspect of his history and that he is indeed remembered for this victory both as an organiser but also for being on the side that won.
Another key event in the life of Leon Trotsky that highlights his success is his role in the Civil War and the Bolshevik consolidation of power. Trotsky was appointed Commissar for war in 1918 and in a short period organised a rabble of veteran Tsarist Officers and untrained recruits into a disciplined military unit. The employment of fear, repression, the death penalty and the attachment of political commissars to each unit shows shrewdness in the command of a man with little military experience who was willing to subvert Communist principles to achieve victory in the conflict. Trotsky is therefore remembered for his intelligent command of the army and the achievement of victory and the success of the revolution, thus he is again remembered for winning.
Conversely Trotsky is also widely remembered for his inability to act opportunistically and claim power over Stalin in the period 1924-27 and his arrogant and brutal personality. The power struggle with Stalin and the events surrounding it continue to be Trotsky’s gravest mistake to this day. Initially Trotsky failed to attend Lenin’s funeral, with his claims of being misinformed by Stalin still being disputed. Trotsky’s failure to attend meant Stalin was able to begin his deification of Lenin and the cult of personality, in effect portraying himself as Lenin’s disciple and establish a base of power. Trotsky became alienated from the party and his failure to act on Lenin’s testament was his next grave mistake. Lenin had written a letter highly critical of Stalin and suggesting he was too brutal and was gaining too much power. Trotsky failed to use this letter against Stalin showing how he could not act opportunistically to achieve his goals. Stalin continued to use his base of power to isolate his opposition and in 1927 Trotsky was expelled from the Party and exiled to Central Asia. One can see that whilst Trotsky lost this struggle he is still remembered for this loss and as such history is not entirely about winners.
Trotsky’s inability to adapt his ideology is a further example of his failure on the power struggle. Stalin’s “Socialism in One Country” appealed directly to nationalistic pride of the people whilst also reinforcing that Russia’s future is determined by her people. “World Revolution” appeared to suggest that Russia must rely on others for her future to be successful and Trotsky’s inflexible ideology and inability to adapt his ideology to the circumstances represents a fatal flaw in his push for power and demonstrates that he is remembered as much for failure as he is for victory and in turn that history is not entirely about winners.
Another event that illustrates this fact is Trotsky’s inability to effectively negotiate a peace settlement with Germany. Having been awarded the post of Commissar for foreign affairs in Lenin’s Sovnarkom, Trotsky’s first goal was to negotiate peace with Germany. However, he believed that Germany would be overcome by revolution and become a chain in World revolution. As a result he stalled negotiations forcing the temporary resumption of war, and leaving the negotiations to be settled by the incoming Gregory Chicherin. Thus Trotsky’s failure to achieve peace is still remembered as a key aspect of his role as a revolutionary; hence history is not necessarily about winners.
A study of Leon Trotsky reveals a gifted revolutionary who was destined to lead but also incapable of leading. Thus we see through Trotsky’s myriad victories that he was a flawed individual who failed and that he is remembered as much for these failures as his victories; therefore history is about winners and losers.
“History is about winners” How accurate is this statement in relation to the personality you have studied?
The study of Leon Trotsky reveals that the statement “History is about winners” is not entirely true and that figures within history are remembered as much for being winners or being on the winning side as they are for failing to win or being on the losing side.
Trotsky is widely regarded as the influential co-ordinator of the events of 1917 concerning the Bolshevik seizure of power. He was instrumental in establishing the Military Revolutionary Committee and depriving the provisional government of support, both militarily and politically. Indeed it was Trotsky along with Lenin who argued for the revolution to occur at all, and it was Trotsky who established the second All Russian Congress of Soviets as the guise for revolution. Historian Michael Lynch best summarises Trotsky’s role in the Russian revolution when he says, “If Lenin was the Grand Architect then Trotsky was the master builder.” It can therefore be said that Trotsky was a winner in this aspect of his history and that he is indeed remembered for this victory both as an organiser but also for being on the side that won.
Another key event in the life of Leon Trotsky that highlights his success is his role in the Civil War and the Bolshevik consolidation of power. Trotsky was appointed Commissar for war in 1918 and in a short period organised a rabble of veteran Tsarist Officers and untrained recruits into a disciplined military unit. The employment of fear, repression, the death penalty and the attachment of political commissars to each unit shows shrewdness in the command of a man with little military experience who was willing to subvert Communist principles to achieve victory in the conflict. Trotsky is therefore remembered for his intelligent command of the army and the achievement of victory and the success of the revolution, thus he is again remembered for winning.
Conversely Trotsky is also widely remembered for his inability to act opportunistically and claim power over Stalin in the period 1924-27 and his arrogant and brutal personality. The power struggle with Stalin and the events surrounding it continue to be Trotsky’s gravest mistake to this day. Initially Trotsky failed to attend Lenin’s funeral, with his claims of being misinformed by Stalin still being disputed. Trotsky’s failure to attend meant Stalin was able to begin his deification of Lenin and the cult of personality, in effect portraying himself as Lenin’s disciple and establish a base of power. Trotsky became alienated from the party and his failure to act on Lenin’s testament was his next grave mistake. Lenin had written a letter highly critical of Stalin and suggesting he was too brutal and was gaining too much power. Trotsky failed to use this letter against Stalin showing how he could not act opportunistically to achieve his goals. Stalin continued to use his base of power to isolate his opposition and in 1927 Trotsky was expelled from the Party and exiled to Central Asia. One can see that whilst Trotsky lost this struggle he is still remembered for this loss and as such history is not entirely about winners.
Trotsky’s inability to adapt his ideology is a further example of his failure on the power struggle. Stalin’s “Socialism in One Country” appealed directly to nationalistic pride of the people whilst also reinforcing that Russia’s future is determined by her people. “World Revolution” appeared to suggest that Russia must rely on others for her future to be successful and Trotsky’s inflexible ideology and inability to adapt his ideology to the circumstances represents a fatal flaw in his push for power and demonstrates that he is remembered as much for failure as he is for victory and in turn that history is not entirely about winners.
Another event that illustrates this fact is Trotsky’s inability to effectively negotiate a peace settlement with Germany. Having been awarded the post of Commissar for foreign affairs in Lenin’s Sovnarkom, Trotsky’s first goal was to negotiate peace with Germany. However, he believed that Germany would be overcome by revolution and become a chain in World revolution. As a result he stalled negotiations forcing the temporary resumption of war, and leaving the negotiations to be settled by the incoming Gregory Chicherin. Thus Trotsky’s failure to achieve peace is still remembered as a key aspect of his role as a revolutionary; hence history is not necessarily about winners.
A study of Leon Trotsky reveals a gifted revolutionary who was destined to lead but also incapable of leading. Thus we see through Trotsky’s myriad victories that he was a flawed individual who failed and that he is remembered as much for these failures as his victories; therefore history is about winners and losers.
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