Capitalism's Long Hot Winter Has Begun

by Leon Trotsky, Jack Barnes

New International, No.12, 2005

"One of capitalism's infrequent long winters has begun. Accompanied by imperialism's accelerating drive toward war, it's going to be a long, hot winter." -- Jack Barnes Today's sharpening interimperialist conflicts are fueled both by the opening stages of a world depression--what will be decades of economic, financial, and social convulsions and class battles--and by the most far-reaching shift in Washington's military policy and organization since the late 1930s, when the U.S. rulers prepared to join the expanding Asian and European wars, transforming them into World War II. Class-struggle-minded working people must face this historic turning point for imperialism, this cataclysmic crisis for "the West" and for "Christendom." And draw satisfaction and enjoyment from being "in their face" as we chart a revolutionary course to confront it. Also includes: Their Transformation and Ours Socialist Workers Party Draft Resolution Crisis, Boom, and Revolution 1921 Reports by V.I. Lenin & Leon Trotsky

311 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

See also Лев Троцкий

Russian theoretician Leon Trotsky or Leon Trotski, originally Lev Davidovitch Bronstein, led the Bolshevik of 1917, wrote Literature and Revolution in 1924, opposed the authoritarianism of Joseph Stalin, and emphasized world; therefore later, the Communist party in 1927 expelled him and in 1929 banished him, but he included the autobiographical My Life in 1930, and the behest murdered him in exile in Mexico.

The exile of Leon Trotsky in 1929 marked rule of Joseph Stalin.

People better know this Marxist. In October 1917, he ranked second only to Vladimir Lenin. During the early days of the Soviet Union, he served first as commissar of people for foreign affairs and as the founder and commander of the Red Army and of war. He also ranked among the first members of the Politburo.

After a failed struggle of the left against the policies and rise in the 1920s, the increasing role of bureaucracy in the Soviet Union deported Trotsky. An early advocate of intervention of Army of Red against European fascism, Trotsky also agreed on peace with Adolf Hitler in the 1930s. As the head of the fourth International, Trotsky continued to the bureaucracy in the Soviet Union, and Ramón Mercader, a Soviet agent, eventually assassinated him. From Marxism, his separate ideas form the basis of Trotskyism, a term, coined as early as 1905. Ideas of Trotsky constitute a major school of Marxist. The Soviet administration never rehabilitated him and few other political figures.

Reviews

[Marc Lichtman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today’s accelerating global capitalist slump—the opening stages of what will be decades of economic, financial, and social convulsions and class battles—accompanies a continuation of the most far-reaching shift in Washington’s military policy and organization since the US buildup toward World War II. Class-struggle-minded working people must face this historic turning point for imperialism and draw satisfaction from being “in their face” as we chart a revolutionary course to confront it.

Also includes: Their Transformation and Ours, Socialist Workers Party Draft Resolution
Crisis, Boom, and Revolution 1921 Reports by V.I. Lenin & Leon Trotsky

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

In brief, the author provides a valuable historical analyis of what is clearly the foreign policy of the dictatorship of capital as it faces a profit-crisis borne depression and organizes a military course to resolve the global crisis of the capitalist system through expanding wars: at home on working people and in the world against its capitalist rivals.


Here is what the book jacket has to say:

"Today’s accelerating global capitalist slump—the opening stages of what will be decades of economic, financial, and social convulsions and class battles—accompanies a continuation of the most far-reaching shift in Washington’s military policy and organization since the U.S. buildup toward World War II. Class-struggle-minded working people must face this historic turning point for imperialism, and draw satisfaction from being “in their face” as we chart a revolutionary course to confront it."

My thoughts on this invaluable book and why I recommend it:

I read this book and reread parts of it several time...before the world capitalist crisis of three years ago. At the time, the book read like a foretelling of where trends pointed: toward economic depression and war. Today, it describes what everyone sees unfolding.

Global Capitalist Crisis

Today, after three years of the longest period of widespread unemployment since the 1940's--it has been 60 months without any turn around in hiring while each of the previous "downturns" lasted 6-8 months-- the book is a real eye-opening, clarifying explanation of what is unfolding for all to see. Millions remain unemployed; millions face foreclosure on their homes. Cuts in medical insurance and rising costs of healthcare stalk the land. Debt crises have shaken the Euro. Every capitalist country is attacking the social safety net, cutting public service jobs, firing teachers, reducing education budgets,lengthening the time required to work to retire, closing public hospitals.

Wars continue to spread from Iraq, to Afghanistan to Libya. The US is now escalating its aggression against China, reiterating its claim to be a Pacific power, encircling China through its alliance with Pakistan and India.

So, without saying much more, read this book if you are not satisfied with the superficial explanations for these developments.