1. Leon Trotsky
HSC Modern History
Personalities in the Twentieth Century
Dr Michael Molkentin
Shellharbour Anglican College &
The University of New South Wales Canberra
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2. Outline of lecture The syllabus The examination
Key features of Trotsky’s life
Evaluating Trotsky's life
Historiography

3. • ask relevant historical questions
Principal focus: Through the study of Leon Trotsky, students gain an understanding of the role of this personality in a period of national or international history.
Students learn to:
• ask relevant historical questions
• locate, select and organise information from different types of sources, including ICT, to describe and analyse relevant features and issues
• assess the impact of the personality on twentieth-century history
• analyse the contribution of the personality to the period in which they lived
• account for and assess differing perspectives and interpretations of the personality
• evaluate the usefulness and reliability of sources
• present the findings of investigations on aspects of the personality, analysing and synthesising information from different types of sources
• communicate an understanding of relevant concepts, features and issues using appropriate and well-structured oral and/or written and/or multimedia forms including ICT.
Role of the personality and ‘their impact’: This section is all about the relationship of people with their times. The central question is how did their times shape them and how did they shape their times? It is essentially a question of AGENCY – who or what makes history?
account for and assess differing perspectives and interpretations of the personality: historiography

4. politics in pre-revolutionary Russia the 1917 revolution
1 Historical context
politics in pre-revolutionary Russia
the 1917 revolution
establishment of the Bolshevik/Communist state
power struggle with Stalin
2 Background
family background and education
development of political ideals
3 Rise to prominence
emerging political role 1905–1917
role in 1917 revolution
4 Significance and evaluation
role as Commissar for Foreign Affairs
role as Commissar for War
power struggle following the death of Lenin
expulsion from the Communist Party
life and activities in exile
evaluation: for example practical revolutionary, naïve idealist?
It is vital that you have a good understanding of the syllabus – both what is in it and how the events of Trotsky’s life are grouped. The examination committee tends to delineate what is required by exam questions by using these terms ‘background’ and ‘rise to prominence’ and ‘significance’.
A question might ask you to outline events in his background, for example – therefore you’d only discuss the bullet points in this section. Discussing his role in the 1905 revolution would not be appropriate.

5. The Examination – Section 3
Two questions – do both
Applicable to all 27 personality options (Trotsky is No. 24)
45 minutes
Question A (10 marks) - descriptive
Question B (15 marks) – evaluative

6. 2015 Modern History HSC Examination Section 3 Questions
These are the 2015 questions for Section 3. They were fairly typical and suit Trotsky well as a personality study.
2015 Modern History HSC Examination
Section 3 Questions

7. Question A (10 marks)
Allow 17 minutes for this section (2-3 mins planning?)
Aim to write c. 400 words
All questions since 2006: ‘Describe’ or ‘Outline’
Describe: ‘provide characteristics and features’
Outline: ‘Sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of’
Forget essay structure- no introduction or conclusion (subheadings OK)
Write three or four paragraphs, use them to organise the detail of Trotsky’s life into ‘themes’
Allow 17 minutes for this section (2-3 mins planning?)
Aim to write c. 400 words
All questions since 2006: ‘Describe’ or ‘Outline’
Describe: ‘provide characteristics and features’
Outline: ‘Sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of’
Forget essay structure- no introduction or conclusion (subheadings OK)
Write three or four paragraphs, use them to organise the detail of Trotsky’s life into ‘themes’

8. Question A (10 marks)
Describe THREE significant factors which resulted in the prominence of the personality you have studied. (2012 HSC)
Paragraph 1: Trotsky’s role in the 1905 revolution
Paragraph 2: Trotsky’s writing on Marxism,
Paragraph 3: Trotsky's role in the October 1917 revolution
For example…. In the 2012 question I would organise my answer along these lines.

9. Question A (10 marks) BREADTH DEPTH
Key words on the marking criteria: detail and relevance
BREADTH
Trotksy’s role in the 1905 revolution
Trotksy’s writing between
Trotksy’s role in October 1917
People
Places
Dates (years)
Organisations
Titles
Quotes (brief)
Trotksy’s belief about worker involvement in contrast to Lenin
Results and Prospects (1906) and its expression of the theory of permanent revolution
Trotsky’s amends with Lenin and the Bolsheviks during 1917.
How much detail do you need? Well with detail it is important you balance depth with breadth.
In my previous example I had adequate breadth as I was covering three significant factors and I chose these to span the entire period of the period the syllabus describes as Trotsky’s rise to prominence.
But I also need to ensure I have enough depth, or detail in each point. I don’t want to spend 300 of my 400 words writing about 1905 and then skimming over my other two significant factors in 100 words.
DEPTH
Trotksy’s role in the Petersburg Soviet executive during the October-November general strikes
Trotsky’s role in the July Days and his continued disagreements with Lenin
Trotsky’s work as a war correspondent in in the Balkans
Trotsky and the MRC and seizure of power in October

10. politics in pre-revolutionary Russia the 1917 revolution
1 Historical context
politics in pre-revolutionary Russia
the 1917 revolution
establishment of the Bolshevik/Communist state
power struggle with Stalin
2 Background
family background and education
development of political ideals
3 Rise to prominence
emerging political role 1905–1917
role in 1917 revolution
4 Significance and evaluation
role as Commissar for Foreign Affairs
role as Commissar for War
power struggle following the death of Lenin
expulsion from the Communist Party
life and activities in exile
evaluation: for example practical revolutionary, naïve idealist?
Describe the personal background and the historical context of the personality
you have studied. (2008)
Describe the significant events in the life of the personality you have studied. (10 marks)
Describe THREE significant factors which resulted in the prominence of the personality you have studied. (2012)
In terms of the requirement for relevance in a Question A response, the best way to assure that you do this is use the syllabus organisation to provide boundaries for your response.

11. Question B (15 marks)
Allow 28 minutes for this section (incl. 5 mins planning)
Write c. 600 words
Treat it as a mini-essay:
Develop a thesis that answers the question
include a brief introduction and conclusion
Use the quotation provided in the question as the focus of your thesis – engage with it in a sustained manner
To prepare make sure you have examples of both how Trotsky influenced his context, where he failed to do so and how his context influenced him.
Allow 28 minutes for this section (incl. 5 mins planning)
Write c. 600 words
Treat it as a mini-essay:
Develop a thesis that answers the question
include a brief introduction and conclusion
Use the quotation provided in the question as the focus of your thesis – engage with it in a sustained manner
To prepare make sure you have examples of both how Trotsky influenced his context, where he failed to do so and how his context influenced him.

12. How Trotsky influenced his context
Where Trotsky failed to influence his context
Where Trotsky’s context influenced him
Though not acting alone Trotksy influenced events in 1917 leading up to the revolution:
His relationship with the workers helped bridge the divide between the Bolsheviks and the Soviets.
This was cemented when he was elected President of the Petrograd Soviet
Role in MRC and planning of the October insurrection
Trotksy failed to achieve his internationalist goals as Commissary for Foreign Affairs at Brest-Litovsk in 1918.
The Bolshevik leadership overruled his attempt to stall negotiations and signed a peace treaty with Germany.
Trotksy’s revolutionary ideas were the product to various influences in his early years. Eg:
His exposure to class inequality and peasant hardship on his family farm.
Liberal ideology of the Spentzer family in Odessa
Narodnik ideology of the Orchard Commune in Nikolayev
Marxism of Aleksandra Sokolovskaya
Here is an example of how you could prepare to know how Trotsky influenced his context, where he failed to do so and where his context influenced him.

13. Revolutionary Theorist
Revolutionary Leader
Revolutionary Critic
Our Political Tasks (1904)
Results and Prospects (1906)
Terrorism and Communism (1920)
The Revolution Betrayed (1937)
President Petersburg Soviet (1905)
President Petersburg Soviet (1917)
President of the MRC of the Petrograd Soviet
Civil War leadership
Conflict with Lenin
Conflict with Stalin ( )
Leftist opposition to Stalin
Exile writings

14. Details of Trotsky’s life Details of Trotsky’s historical context
(from 1. Historical context)
2. Background
family background and education
development of political ideals
- politics in pre-revolutionary Russia
3 Rise to prominence
emerging political role 1905–1917
role in 1917 revolution
- the 1917 revolution
4 Significance and evaluation
role as Commissar for Foreign Affairs
role as Commissar for War
power struggle following the death of Lenin
expulsion from the Communist Party
life and activities in exile
evaluation: for example practical revolutionary, naïve idealist?
establishment of the Bolshevik/Communist state
power struggle with Stalin
Now- having dealt with what the exam contains and how to approach it we move onto the details of Trotksy’s life.
There is a limit to how much I – or your teacher – can help you here. There are no shortcuts- you just have to read about Trotksy’s life (or watch videos or listen to podcasts) and memorise the narrative and the detail. Noone can do this work for you.
That said I will briefly go through the syllabus content and highlight what you absolutely must know, and then also indicate some things you might look into if you want to give yourself an edge over other students.
Animation
The first section is ‘Historical Context’. Most teachers I know don’t cover this separately in the Personality Study because you’ve probably already covered it in the USSR national study and because the text books tend to integrate it.
They do what I’ve done here in this table. I’ve taken the syllabus points from Section 1 ‘Historical Context’ and split them up into the sections of Trotsky’s life to which they belong.
This is fair enough – but you need to pay particular attention to the first one ‘politics in pre-revolutionary Russia’ as this is not part of the National Study. It is covered in Year 11 in the Depth Study ‘Decline and Fall of the Romanov Dynasty’.

15. Politics in pre-revolutionary Russia (Yr 11 content)
The reigns of Alexander II and Alexander III
Liberal reforms (emancipation of the Serfs, Zemstovo reforms)
Russification, Jewish policy (extension of the Pale of settlement)
Assassination of AII; repression under AIII
The development of reformist/revolutionary politics in Russia
Populism
Liberalism
Marxism
Industrialisation in Russia during 1890s and its social impacts
Nicholas II’s ascension and his commitment to autocracy
This means that if you did this depth study in Year 11 you need to do some revision- I hope you didn’t commit your 11 History folder to the bonfire just yet.
If you did – or if your school didn’t teach this optional depth study in Year 11, or if you moved schools or, to be frank, if you spent Yr 11 thinking it wasn’t it didn’t count so you’d wait until Yr 12 to start applying yourself – then you have some work to do.
The good news is that you don’t need to know a lot – and you don’t need to know it in great depth and detail.
Year 11 text books have good concise summaries of the historical context in which Trotsky grew up and developed his ideas about Marxism.
Otherwise, on my website, I’ve provided a PDF overview that I use with my students to introduce pre-revolution politics, in Yr 11. You can download it if you like.

16. family background and education
Jewishness
Social class
Education: Gromokla, Odessa, Nikolaev
Relationships: parents, Spentzer
Personality
Marriage
development of political ideals
Time with Spentzers, exposure to liberalism
Orchard Commune and Franz Shvigovsky and the Narodniki
Aleksandra Sokolovskaya and Marxism
Imprisonment, exile, escape and encounters with Lenin’s work
Early writing as ‘The Pen’ and for Iskra
RSDLP split, Trotsy’s criticism of Lenin in Our Political Tasks (1904)
Trotsky’s My Life
Family background and education
Animation
Here are the talking points you should be able to cover in the family background and education section.
For things like his relationships and personality it’s good to have an anecdote such as the rebellion against the teacher he was suspended for in Odessa
You might also like to get a quote or two from Trotsky describing his early life- something short and pithy.
Here it can be useful to dip into our best source for Trotsky’s early years- his 1930 biography My Life. It’s available free online, on the Marxists.org archive as a PDF.
Development of political ideals
In this section it is important for you to recognise that Trotksy’s adoption of Marxism was an incremental process that occurred over a decade, between 1888 and 1898.
In fact, it could be observed that Trotsky made a journey across the political spectrum of the reformist ideologies that existed in turn-of the century Russia. First he discovered the liberalism of his relatives, the printer Spentzer, in Odessa, and then the populism of his Orchard Commune friends and then, Marxism through Aleksandra Sokolovskaya and the writing of Lenin.
In this sense Trotsky was not usual; the repressive and anti-reformist policies of Alexander III and his son, Nicholas II during Trotsky’s adolescent years encouraged many moderate reformists to migrate left to the more revolutionary ideologies of populism and Marxism.

17. emerging political role 1905–1917
Rise to prominence
emerging political role 1905–1917
Relationship with Bolshevik and Menshevik factions
Role in 1905 – Petersburg Soviet and arrest
Results and Prospects (1906)
Permanent revolution
Anticipated conflict with the peasantry after a revolution occurs
Failed attempts to re-unify RSDLP, conflict with Lenin
War correspondent in the Balkans, Western Front
role in 1917 revolution
Arrival in Petrograd May 1917
July Days, voluntary arrest and siding with Bolsheviks
President of Petrograd Soviet (bridge between Bolsheviks and Soviets)
President of Military Revolutionary Council, co-ordination of October revolution
For this section I suggest you identify three things that Trotsky did that caused him to become a ‘prominent’ historical figure.
The meaning of the word prominent means to ‘project outward’- to be noticeable, to be important.
If I was going to sum up one way in which Trotsky emerged as a distinctly important member of the revolutionary party scene during this time it would be through his prominence in both the world of workers and the world of European Marxist revolutionaries – the so-called revolutionary intelligentsia.
We see it in 1904 when he disagrees with Lenin over the composition of the party – and indeed the nature of the revolution.
We see this in 1905 when, while Lenin, Martov and the other RSDLP leaders watch from the sidelines, Trotsky goes to St Petersburg and engages in the activities of the Soviet directly.
We see it in 1917 when again he returns to lead the Petersburg Soviet – this time his foot in both Bolshevik and Soviet camps is fundamental to the revolution. The Bolsheviks NEED muscle – and it is through Trotsky’s credibility and sway with the Soviet’s Military Revolutionary Council that he gets it.

18. Significance and evaluation role as Commissar for Foreign Affairs
Role at Brest-Litovsk, conflict with Central Committee
role as Commissar for War
Establishment of the Red Army, use of ‘Military Specialists’
Trotsky’s train
Crushing peasant uprisings (and Krondstadt)
War Communism and especially Labour Armies
Opposition to NEP and conflict with Central Committee
power struggle following the death of Lenin
Lenin’s testament
Socialism in One Country vs Permanent Revolution
Trotsky vs Stalin (strengths and weaknesses)
When studying the content in this section there are four themes that you should consider:
1. Acknowledge not only of Trotsky’s success or failure in these roles but degrees of success and failure.
2. Similarly, identify Trotsky’s strengths and weaknesses – and some examples of when these had an impact on his ability to influence events in which he was involved. It is well documented that he was an extraordinary orator- something apparent during his train tour of the Civil War. On the other hand, he was inept at Party politics: he tended to alienate colleagues. And then there were ambivalent aspects of his character too. He could be notably pragmatic – at other times, an ideologue apparently incapable of compromise.
3 Thirdly, it is also worthwhile identifying some examples of conflicts that Trotsky had with his comrades in the CC and Politburo during this time.
Lenin initially lauded him following the takeover of power in October but they quickly came into conflict thereafter on a number of issues.
Two significant instances concerned Trotsky’s refusal to sign peace with the Germans and his opposition to the NEP – both of which alienated him from the Central Committee. Indeed, Trotsky was perceived by many of his colleagues as potentially a Bonaparte figure. Lenin too came to be wary of Trotsky, which is reflected in his banning of factions in 1921 and the reservations he expressed about Trotsky in his last will and testament.
4. A final aspect of this period of Trotsky’s life you should consider is Trotsky’s use of violence and tyranny for political goals. There are plenty of examples you can use and it might be useful to cite his 1920 article ‘Terrorism and Communism’.
These two issues – his conflict with Lenin and willingness to use violence – even against allies like the Krondstadt asailors – might lead you to question two aspects of the sympathetic interpretation of Trotsky: that he was Lenin’s true heir and that he would have behaved differently to Stalin had he won the power struggle.

19. 4. Significance and evaluation (continued)
expulsion from the Communist Party
The United Opposition (Trotsky, Kamenev and Zinoviev)
The Tenth Anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution- support for Trotsky
Expulsion
life and activities in exile
Alma Ata ( )
European exile ( )
My Life (1930)
Mexico ( )
The Revolution Betrayed (1937)
The Fourth International
Assassination
In studying the events of Trotsky's final years you should continue to consider his importance.
Yes- he was a vocal critic of Stalin, but did this criticism achieve anything? Did the Fourth International actually change anything? Certainly, it established a platform for his views to long outlive his lifetime in the form of modern Trotskyists but did it change anything in the USSR?
And did Trotsky’s criticism of Stalinism even have credibility- was he himself guilty of the same violent extremes as Stalin? Had he, in his earlier writings and policy arguments, advocated the same type of USSR as the one that he criticised in the 1930s? In Results and Prospects, in 1906, he had foreseen a war to crush peasant interests in the countryside and force them to align their concerns with those of the proletariat. And as mentioned, in ‘Terrorism and Communism’ he freely and enthusiastically endorsed the use of violence for political ends.
In fact, it is interesting to note that, even in his 1937 book, The Revolution Betrayed, Trotsky was not entirely critical of Stalin’s state. He acknowledge positively the “gains of October”, apparently meaning a system of full employment in which the means of production was controlled by the state. In the book’s opening paragraph he characterised the USSR as a worker’s state and arguing that its nationalised economy was far superior to capitalism.

20. evaluation: for example practical revolutionary, naïve idealist?
The impact of something in Trotsky’s life on him (2015)
The extent of Trotsky’s agency: Trotsky vs his context- which influenced which? (2009, 2010, 2014)
The nature of Trotsky’s impact (2012)
The extent of Trotsky’s impact (2005, 2011, 2013)
The ways in which historians (and others?) have interpreted Trotsky (2006, 2008)
This is potentially more difficult than the other syllabus bullet points because it is less clear exactly what you need to know.
We can, however, get an idea by analysing Question B in the past papers, of the types of evaluations the exam will require you to make about Trotksy.
I’ve been through them and there seems to be FIVE types of evaluation questions that BOSTES has asked. All have in common that you need to make a judgement about Trotsky.
There are no guarantees that BOSTES will continue operating within these five types of evaluations- but preparing for these is a good, and possibly the best, way to prepare for this section
The impact of something in Trotsky’s life on him (2015)
It is the way an individual faces challenges that shapes them and their achievements. To what extent is this statement accurate in relation to the personality you have studied and their role in history? (2015)
The extent of Trotsky’s agency: Trotsky vs his context- which influenced which? (2009, 2010, 2014)
The significance of an individual is created more by themselves than by the events of their life. How accurate is this statement in relation to the personality you have studied and their period of national or international history? (2014)
The nature of Trotsky’s impact (2012)
To what extent did the personality you have studied have a positive impact on his or her times? (2012)
The extent of Trotsky’s impact (2005, 2011, 2013)
Evaluate the significance of the personality you have studied to his/her period of national and/or international history (2013)
The ways in which historians have interpreted Trotsky (2006, 2008)
To what extent does history present us with a balanced interpretation of this
personality?

21. Historiography Three reasons you need to do some work on it:
It is one of the explicitly identified skills (“account for and assess differing perspectives and interpretations of the personality”)
Question B in the 2006 and 2008 papers
It can help you develop your own evaluation of Trotsky
Three reasons you need to do some work on it:
It is one of the explicitly identified skills (“account for and assess differing perspectives and interpretations of the personality”)
Question B in the 2006 and 2008 papers
It can help you develop your own evaluation of Trotsky

22. Historiography What you don’t need: What can be helpful:
To read full books on Trotsky
To be able to name-drop historians throughout your response
What can be helpful:
Three distinct historical perspectives on Trotsky
These could be three particular authors eg:
Isaac Deutscher (Trotskyist)
Richard Pipes (Cold War era Trotsky critic)
Robert Service (recent, non-Trotskyist biographer)
What you don’t need:
To read full books on Trotsky
To be able to name-drop historians throughout your response
What can be helpful:
Three distinct historical perspectives on Trotsky
These could be three particular authors eg:
Isaac Deutscher (Trotskyist)
Richard Pipes (Cold War era Trotsky critic)
Robert Service (recent, non-Trotskyist biographer)

23. Historiography What can be helpful: Or broadly different approaches
Critical perspectives
Positive perspectives
Balanced/nuanced/ ambivalent perspectives
What can be helpful:
Or broadly different approaches by era:
Bolshevik era interpretations: Trotsky the revolutionary hero
Stalinist era: Trotsky the revolution’s wrecker
Trotskyists: Trotsky as Lenin’s heir
Cold War era: Trotsky just as bad as Stalin
Recent scholarship

24. Historiography - strategies
Wikipedia and review websites for book/author summaries
The introductions and conclusions of books
Podcasts, interviews with authors (Hitchens vs Service: Service on Trotsky:
Literature reviews:
Ken Webb, Leon Trotsky , Get Smart Education, Mona Vale, 2011, pp
Ian D. Thatcher, Trotsky, Routledge, Milton Park, 2003, pp
Michael Cox, ‘Trotsky and his interpreters: or, will the real Leon Trotsky please stand up?’, The Russian Review, vol. 51, no.1, January 1992, pp
Wikipedia and review websites for book/author summaries
The introduction and conclusion of books
Podcasts, interviews with authors (Hitchens vs Service: Service on Trotsky:
Literature reviews:
Ken Webb, Leon Trotsky , Get Smart Education, Mona Vale, 2011, pp
Ian D. Thatcher, Trotsky, Routledge, Milton Park, 2003, pp
Michael Cox, ‘Trotsky and his interpreters: or, will the real Leon Trotsky please stand up?’, The Russian Review, vol. 51, no.1, January 1992, pp

25. Trotsky by Ian D. Thatcher
Here are two books that students looking to extend their understanding of Trotksy might consult. Both are relatively concise but will enable you to develop a more sophisticated understanding of Trotsky than the commonly used secondary school level texts.
Both texts also have really good timelines. And their introductions discuss the historiography of Leon Trotsky.
Thatcher goes through Trotsky’s life chronologically but his focus is not on his personal life, but, rather, his political ideas. He explains how Trotksy’s thinking evolved and how it contrasted with his peers such as Martov, Lenin and Stalin. It’s readable though does delve into Trotsky’s thinking to some complexity.
Swain presents a solid, but relatively concise critical analysis of Trotksy’s role in the events associated with his life. His book also has useful glossaries and biographies on people Trotsky knew, and a section of excerpts from Trotsky’s writings.
Trotsky by Ian D. Thatcher
Trotsky and the Russian Revolution by G. Swain

26. Trotsky’s key texts Our Political Tasks (1904)
Results and Prospects (1906)
Terrorism and Communism (1920)
My Life: An Attempt at Autobiography (1930)
The Revolution Betrayed (1937)
While it isn’t necessary to read these in their entirety, for students looking to get an edge it can be handy to be able to outline some of Trotyksy’s key political texts.
Some have summaries on Wikipedia and you can access the whole text versions on the Leon Trotsky Internet Archive.
Leon Trotsky Internet Archive:

27. Questions?