For Karl Marx, the study of philosophy and economics were both inexorably linked. In the study of his works, particularly those of an economic bent, it is necessary to understand a basic outline of the philosophy and ideas which came to be known as Marxism. Initially, one must remember that Marx was clearly a product of his time, and his economic and philosophical ideas are focused toward the perceived evils of industrialization and capitalism. Marx's philosophy is derived from many sources, most notably the influence of Georg Friedrich Hegel and Ludwig Feuerbach.
Leon Trotsky, or to be more precise, Lev Davidovich Bronstein, was a pragmatist and interpreter of the doctrines of Marxism. From an early age, he espoused the revolutionary doctrine of change in Russia, and eventually became one of the preeminent figures in Lenin's Bolshevik Party. In brief, after successfully reorganizing the Red Army during Russia's Civil War after the 1917 Revolution, Trotsky more vocally espoused the doctrine of "Permanent Revolution." This led to conflict with Josef Stalin, and Trotsky's eventual ouster from the Soviet Union and assassination in 1940.1
This paper will analyze Trotsky's philosophical thought in comparison with that of Karl Marx. It will be divided into two major sections, the first dealing with Marxian thought, the second on Trotsky's interpretation of Marx. Since Marx wrote such a voluminous amount of material, this paper will concentrate on Wage Labor and Capital, Value, Price, and Profit, The Grundrisse, the more general Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts, and Capital.
There are as many definitions of Marxism as there are practicing Marxists, however there are at least four concomitant elements which form the backbone of his philosophy. The first is the manner of approach to history and philosophy, namely dialectics. In a dialectical approach, one is aware of the arguments and contradictions within ideas themselve...