Ok I'm prepared to take some abuse on this forum as it's kind of an out there thought but what about the Bolsheviks. I know they're obscure in the modern day and kind of fell through the cracks of history being eclipsed by their rivals the Mensheviks as they eventually reformed (some people say sold out) and joined the mainstream of Russian politics. But hear me out during their own time they had a lot of influence and were probably the best faction when it came to organization even the word Bolshevik means the Majority in Russian so there was a large support base. Everything I've read seems to show they weren't particularly afraid of getting their knuckles bloody too regularly mixing it up with Tsarists and creating militias. I feel had their leadership remained intact they would have been a real threat to the power structure in the crazy days right after The First Great War.
Both Lenin and Trotsky were considered to be some of the greatest Socialist thinkers of their time period by peers they were viewed as such a threat it earned them exile from Russia, very effective as they became embroiled in the politics of their new homes. Lenin of course famously snuck into Germany from Switzerland in order to take part in the Spartacist Revolution and successfully did so. Acting as well respected but often disliked commander by his fellows, they would put him in charge of International volunteers. Serving in government mostly in Berlin after the revolution he eventually wound up in the equivalent of the State Department and a consular role in France but was kicked out after a few months for stirring up workers. This failure saw him politically exiled to Peenemuende Island in the Baltic as a minor functionary and school teacher, where he would spend the rest of his life away from the center of power. His wife said he was going to try and volunteer and raise a brigade for the Republican Side of the Spanish Civil War as they were accepting Internationals into their ranks before he died and I believe the German volunteers did actually name themselves the Vladimir Lenin Brigade in his honor as well.
Trotsky spent his exile from Russia in New York City quickly learning English and selling his writings to periodicals across the United States, always lamenting he could not return to Russia but still criticizing the Tsar from afar. In 1920 he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by a likely Russian Imperial agent. This seemed to convince him to naturalize and became an American Citizen. Always wanting to be part of the Vanguard of Social Movement no matter where he was Trotsky packed up and moved his family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin as it was where Socialist Party was strongest boasting a Socialist Mayor name Daniel Hoan. Trotsky would soon find himself working for the Party and the Mayor and endeavoring to expand it's power and influence. Using his skills as a writer and orator the movement kept growing and he organized the public into a powerful voting bloc, though mostly behind the scenes he was clearly an important part of the success becoming a believer of Revolution at the Ballot Box. The entire Great Lakes region would become solidly socialist and formed the far left wing of the New Deal with it's bully boys on the street corners brawling with Republicans, jokingly called the Red Sea period of Great Lakes politics. Industrial cities down the Mississippi River and stretching East out along the St. Lawrence (even the Canadian side) became strongholds of the Socialist Party too and left a red streak in American politics even to this day. Once retired from politics Trotsky took a job in Chicago at the then newly built Eugene Debs Memorial University teaching political science and fund raising on the schools behalf dying quietly in his sleep and celebrated by Presidents and Comrades alike.
Who knows what a pair of firebrands like that would have done had they been turned loose in a Revolutionary Russia. Although I've heard it said both men were more Philosophers and Glory Hounds than Soldiers and Rebels. In my opinion they might have been the spark to start the fire of revolt but we'll never really know in the end.
Both Lenin and Trotsky were considered to be some of the greatest Socialist thinkers of their time period by peers they were viewed as such a threat it earned them exile from Russia, very effective as they became embroiled in the politics of their new homes. Lenin of course famously snuck into Germany from Switzerland in order to take part in the Spartacist Revolution and successfully did so. Acting as well respected but often disliked commander by his fellows, they would put him in charge of International volunteers. Serving in government mostly in Berlin after the revolution he eventually wound up in the equivalent of the State Department and a consular role in France but was kicked out after a few months for stirring up workers. This failure saw him politically exiled to Peenemuende Island in the Baltic as a minor functionary and school teacher, where he would spend the rest of his life away from the center of power. His wife said he was going to try and volunteer and raise a brigade for the Republican Side of the Spanish Civil War as they were accepting Internationals into their ranks before he died and I believe the German volunteers did actually name themselves the Vladimir Lenin Brigade in his honor as well.
Trotsky spent his exile from Russia in New York City quickly learning English and selling his writings to periodicals across the United States, always lamenting he could not return to Russia but still criticizing the Tsar from afar. In 1920 he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by a likely Russian Imperial agent. This seemed to convince him to naturalize and became an American Citizen. Always wanting to be part of the Vanguard of Social Movement no matter where he was Trotsky packed up and moved his family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin as it was where Socialist Party was strongest boasting a Socialist Mayor name Daniel Hoan. Trotsky would soon find himself working for the Party and the Mayor and endeavoring to expand it's power and influence. Using his skills as a writer and orator the movement kept growing and he organized the public into a powerful voting bloc, though mostly behind the scenes he was clearly an important part of the success becoming a believer of Revolution at the Ballot Box. The entire Great Lakes region would become solidly socialist and formed the far left wing of the New Deal with it's bully boys on the street corners brawling with Republicans, jokingly called the Red Sea period of Great Lakes politics. Industrial cities down the Mississippi River and stretching East out along the St. Lawrence (even the Canadian side) became strongholds of the Socialist Party too and left a red streak in American politics even to this day. Once retired from politics Trotsky took a job in Chicago at the then newly built Eugene Debs Memorial University teaching political science and fund raising on the schools behalf dying quietly in his sleep and celebrated by Presidents and Comrades alike.
Who knows what a pair of firebrands like that would have done had they been turned loose in a Revolutionary Russia. Although I've heard it said both men were more Philosophers and Glory Hounds than Soldiers and Rebels. In my opinion they might have been the spark to start the fire of revolt but we'll never really know in the end.
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