CDMX - Trotsky Time

19 March, 2023

Whether you think of Leon Trotsky was cool and good or one of history’s greatest monsters (lol get out more), he was a guy of considerable impact. There’s a very strong argument to be made (1) the October Revolution and (2) the ultimate victory of the Bolsheviks - and the subsequent formation of the USSR - would simply have not happened without him. He was their strongest orator and turned the Red Army from nothing into a force that was breathing down the necks of Central Europe.

And there is absolutely no denying this: he looks like Jean-Ralphio (played by Ben Schwartz) from Parks and Recreation.

Anyway, his power struggle with Stalin having Not Went Well, he fled repeatedly until finally finding a home in Mexico. The same president that nationalized their oil industry, did a bunch of land redistribution, and invited in Republican exiles from the Spanish Civil war - Lázaro Cárdenas - welcomed him. Cool dude, still one of the most popular Mexican presidents.

Here is Trotsky with Diego Rivera, who did that mural I posted about earlier that punked the Rockefeller Center.

Trotsky was assassinated by Stalin in his home in Mexico (just south of Mexico City). After his wife died his home was made into a museum and he was buried there.

Here is an unflattering picture of me next to his grave.

This photo is not an endorsement. I am not a Trotskyist. I might be of the left (relative to most Americans) but Trotsky would have absolutely purged my ass in his time.