Although Trotsky’s role was vital in the October Revolution the historian Terry Brotherstone argues that: “The Bolshevik victory in the October Revolution would have been just as unthinkable and unrealisable without Trotsky as it would have been unthinkable and unrealisable without Lenin”
However the contribution of Lenin in the October Revolution was rather in gaining support for the Bolsheviks through his speeches. Lenin couldn’t set up the immediate measures necessary for a Bolshevik revolution such as a suitable militia, because he was exiled and could only enter Russia shortly before the Revolution.
So in general it is fair to argue that Trotsky did the immediate organisational work, leading to the revolution, although Lenin did his part mainly beforehand through working out the ideological basis for the revolution and gaining the support of the masses through his writings from exile, which were red by many workers.
In the aftermath of the revolution, Trotsky’s work, done during the phase of preparing for revolution became important again, as the Petrograd Garrison, that Trotsky convinced to fight for the Bolsheviks, were the army unit where Bolshevik coercive power rested on even more than on the Red Guard, which he established as well.
Both, Lenin and Trotsky tried to establish popular support for the communist cause after the revolution. But while Lenin continued doing this, Trotsky was soon heading a Bolshevik delegation to discuss a peace treaty with Germany.
When civil war broke out, and the Whites and numerous European armies threatened Bolshevik Rule, Lenin and Trotsky decided that their old idea of a peoples army was not going to be effective enough for the threat the Bolsheviks were facing.
So on the 8 April 1918 Trotsky became commissar for war. Under his supervision, the Red Army, which only included a 100000 – 200000 man in March was mobilised to a force of 500000 men in August. Ranks and harsh military discipline were introduced, together with the death penalty for desertion.
Trotsky’s role during the civil war was a vital contribution to the establishment of a communist state in Russia. He saved Bolshevik rule not only through setting up an enormous army to defend it but also took personally charge in critical battles, for example when Red Army units were facing advancing Czechs and Whites at Sviyazhsk. During most of the Civil War, Trotsky was travelling all through Russia, from front to front in his own train, carrying not only him but also supplies. Terry Brotherstone summarises Trotsky’s importance during this period by saying:” In the subsequent two years of Civil War, Trotsky, as the strongest member of the Party leadership alongside Lenin, was placed at the head of the new Red Army then being created. He played an extremely important part in ensuring its military preparedness and, in the long run, in ensuring its victory in the war.”
D. Thatcher, however says that this should not be exaggerated. “Such praise does not, however, justify turning Trotsky into the main actor of the Civil War era. There were instances in which his forecasts were mistaken and his strategic advice misplaced. In the spring of 1919, for instance, Trotsky underestimated the threat the White forces led by Denikin posed in the south. Nor was Trotsky always the chief tactician. Given that he was often en route, much depended on the local commanders, several of whom were exceptionally able.”
During the period of Civil War Lenin once more took a rather political role, which however, proved crucial for the Bolshevik war effort. He introduced the economic reform of War communism. According to , this policy was adopted by the with the aim of keeping and the supplied with and , in conditions when all normal economic mechanisms and relations were being destroyed by the war. The policy of War Communism that began in June 1918, was enforced by the Supreme Economic Council, known as the . Under War Communism, all industry was nationalized and strict centralized management was introduced, state monopoly on foreign trade was introduced, discipline for workers was strict, and could be shot. Further more obligatory labour duty was imposed onto "non-working classes",
, the requisition of surpluses from in excess of absolute minimum for centralized distribution among the remaining population was introduced; food and most commodities were and distributed in a centralized way. Private enterprise became illegal and a military-like control of was introduced.
Summarising it can be said that both, Lenin and Trotsky both contributed greatly in the consolidation of the communist state in Russia. Trotsky was once again taking a more practical role, while Lenin was rather politically active. However, as D. Thatcher suggests, the role of Trotsky during the civil war is not to be exaggerated. So it is fair to say that Lenin’s policy was likely to be more important in keeping the Bolsheviks in power than Trotsky’s efforts, although they were very important.
Although being victorious in the civil, the Bolsheviks lost public support, because of their harsh policy of War Communism they ruled with during the war. It was mainly Trotsky and a new policy introduced that would save the Bolsheviks power. As early as in 1920, Trotsky argued for a retreat from direct mobilisation to indirect methods of mobilisation. He argued that for example, instead of requisitioning grain at arbitrary prices, the government should tax peasants in kind, taking a fixed percentage of the grain they produced. It should then let them sell the rest of their produce at free market price. The idea was simple and it promised to end popular discontent and restore grain transport to the towns. This policy would mean ending War Communism and a partial return to capitalism, a fact that didn’t suit many party members. Lenin would not listen to Trotsky’ idea initially. It needed the Kronstadt revolt to convince Lenin to adapt to Trotsky’s idea and so on the tenth Party Congress he proposed replacing War Communism with a tax in kind. This proposal marked the end of War Communism and the beginning of what the party began to call the New Economic Policy, or NEP.
So all in all it is fair to say that Terry Brotherstone comment on the successful Bolshevik October Revolution applies for the rest of the Period until 1924 as well.
Both, Lenin and Trotsky were of vital and mutual importance for establishment and consolidation of a communist state in Russia. Hereby they took different roles though. Lenin was more of the public face of the revolution, an inspiring speaker that could fascinate the masses and a philosopher. George Vernadsky underlines this, saying that:” there can be no denial of the fact that his personality exerted tremendous influence on the course of political development in Russia“. Trotsky’s accomplishments, although he wasn’t playing an as important role on the surface or in the public picture, were mutually important than Lenin’s achievements.
However when looking at the term communist state in the sense that originated in the West during the cold war, used to describe a in which the operates under a and declares allegiance to or a derivative thereof, thinks look slightly different, as it was Lenin who contributed most to creating a suppressive single party system. It was Lenin, who dissolved all other parties through the use of force in the night of the 25/26 of October 1917. And it was Lenin who organised the secret police, called Cheka and invented the first concentration camps for political opponents.
Brotherstone, Terry. The Trotsky Reapprisal. Edinburgh University Press: 1992. Pg 42
Christian, David. Power Privilege. Longman: 1994. Pg 196
Christian, David. Power Privilege. Longman: 1994. Pg 201
Brotherstone, Terry. The Trotsky Reapprisal. Edinburgh University Press: 1992. Pg 43
Thatcher, D. Trotsky. Routledge, 2002. Pg 101
Vernadsky, George. Lenin: Red Dictator. Malcolm Waters Davis; Yale University Press, 1931. Pg. 312