This collection of articles and speeches originally appeared as the first section of volume eight of Trotsky’s Works which was published by the State Publishing House in Moscow and Leningrad in June 1926 under the editorship of I.M. Pavlov assisted by V. Zubarov, M. Lyubimov and I. Rumer.
Translations of several of these articles were first commissioned by the journal of the Young Socialists, Keep Left. Their immediate success has prompted the present project, namely the revision and completion of the translation and publication of the balance of this, the first part of Volume 8 of Leon Trotsky’s Works.
It will be evident that the differences in the tone of the articles written before and after the October revolution result from the different conditions under which the author was working. The reader should bear in mind, particularly when reading articles dating from before October 1917, that in writing for legal and semi-legal publications of that time the author had to work within conditions of censorship. This explains in particular the obscure allusions in the article The Scoundrel which was apparently an exposure of a political provocateur.
The translator wishes to thank all those who gave so unstintingly of their time, effort and knowledge in the multifarious aspects of the production of this book. This includes all those who helped check the translation and proofs, suggested stylistic improvements, advised in matters of lay-out and design, travelled in search of relevant material and information, and to Mr Richard Klucsarits, chief librarian and archivist of the Socialist Party of Austria, who so kindly supplied illustrations appearing on pages 10, 42 and 52.
Last updated on: 8.4.2007