On the 85th anniversary of the assassination of Leon Trotsky

Trotsky was the personification of the revolutionary movement of the working class for socialism.

Dear reader, Eighty-five years ago today, Leon Trotsky—the great Marxist revolutionary, co-leader of the October 1917 Russian Revolution, and founder of the Fourth International—was assassinated by a Stalinist agent.  His murder was not only an act of vengeance but, as WSWS Editorial Board Chairman David North explains in a new interview, the most politically consequential assassination of the 20th century. Trotsky's death "deprived the working class of a strategist of incomparable genius," said North. The consequences of his assassination continue to shape world politics to this day. Watch and read the full interview: Read more North was interviewed at a commemoration event in Turkey held by the World Socialist Web Site and Mehring Yayıncılık (Books), in collaboration with the Adalar (Princes' Islands) Municipality, titled "The 85th Anniversary of the Assassination of Leon Trotsky: Historical Significance and Enduring Consequences" on the island of Büyükada (Prinkipo), on Saturday, August 16.  As North explained: "Trotsky's assassination was aimed not only at silencing a man, but at cutting off an entire political tradition—that of revolutionary Marxism. "To this day, the ruling class and its ideological defenders seek to bury Trotsky's legacy, because it provides the working class with the strategy and perspective it requires to fight for power." In addition to discussing Trotsky's historical significance and the far-reaching implications of his assassination, North also delves into the questions of whether Trotsky's assassination was inevitable, the importance of revolutionary optimism to the Marxist world outlook, and more. Today, as in the 1930s, humanity is once again confronting fascism, genocide, world war, and vast social inequality. "Resistance is growing everywhere," North said, "but it's necessary for that resistance to interact with the correct political perspective. We are on the eve of the greatest revolutionary explosions in history." We urge all our readers to carefully read and widely share this critical interview.   Read the interview World Socialist Web Site We're powered by the support of our readers and workers. Make a contribution today to the World Socialist Web Site. This email was sent to alitealbum.wsws@blogger.com. If you want to, you can unsubscribe. We rely on your financial support and your participation. © Copyright 2025, World Socialist Web Site, wsws.org. All rights reserved.