Why do people here really not like Trotskyists? Is it just because of his beef with Stalin and not an actual criticism of his views? Do people really not think a global movement would be superior for the betterment of all people?
Edit: Thank you to everyone who provided context and history, y’all are a wealth of knowledge.
It depends. When you say “socialism in the Western world” do you mean redistribution of all of the West’s plundered resources, land, and labor back to the Global South and indigenous peoples, or do you mean taking Elon’s shit because some global northerners feel like they deserve a bigger share of the plundered superprofits?
Yes, I would love global communism.
Which is what, to my understanding, Trotskyism argued for. But yeah, plenty of people have pointed out even if his writings point to that, in practice that is not really how Trotskyists act.
Cool yeah then we’re on the same page. I just personally think that when most Westerners talk about socialism they just want free heath care and longer holidays and who cares about where the resources that sustain that lifestyle come from?
Which is exactly why I think it’s important for the proletariat to be connected across state boundaries. Allows people to better understand current issues outside their own experience and what would have to be done to correct them. If two neighboring countries with vastly different natural resource reserves are both socialist and both countries allow free flow of trade (which I think any two socialist states should), it helps everyone involved.
In theory I agree with you but in practice I think many Western leftists need to develop some humility and willingness to engage as equals rather than talking down to non-Westerners.
Just because MLs reject permanent revolution doesn’t mean they reject internationalism.