In Defence of Marxism (book)

In Defence of Marxism
AuthorLeon Trotsky
Original titleIn Defence of Marxism
TranslatorRob Sewell (2010 edition)
LanguageRussian
GenreNonfiction
PublisherMarxist Books (United States), Wellred Books (United Kingdom)
Publication date
1942
Publication placeSoviet Union
Media typePrint

In Defence of Marxism is a posthumous collection of philosophical texts written by Russian revolutionary, Leon Trotsky, between 1939-40.[1] In a series of polemical articles, Trotsky examines issues related to the class nature of the Soviet state, the philosophy of dialectical materialism and party factions in the American Socialist Workers Party.[1]

These polemics were written due to the criticisms raised by a number of heterogeneous factions in the Trotskyist movement which included figures such as James Burnham, Max Shachtman and Martin Abern. These groups posed moral criticisms on the defence of the Soviet Union in regards to the Finnish War and increasingly rejected the theoretical basis of materialist dialectics for a socialist movement.[1][2]

  1. ^ a b c Trotsky, Leon (October 1, 2020). In Defence of Marxism. Wellred Books. pp. VI–XX, 1–30, 230–250.
  2. ^ Knei-Paz, Baruch (1978). The social and political thought of Leon Trotsky. Oxford [Eng.] : Clarendon Press. pp. 485–494. ISBN 978-0-19-827233-5.