Leon Trotsky: Communism's True Believer

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Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Steve Theunissen
Producer - Jennifer Da Silva
Executive Producer - Shell Harris
Business inquiries to [e-mail]
Other Biographics Videos:
Napoleon Bonaparte: The Strategic Genius
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Toussaint L’Ouverture: the Black Napoleon who Freed Haiti’s Slaves
• Toussaint L’Ouverture:...
Source/Further reading:
Isaac Deutscher: The Prophet: The Life of Leon Trotsky
Charles River Editors: Russian Legends: The Life and Legend of Leon Trotsky
Hourly History: Leon Trotsky: A Life from beginning to End

[@Biographics]

Thank you Brilliant for making this one possible! Check out Brilliant here: brilliant.org/biographics

[@amit_druker6476]

yoo @Biographics (or @Simon) can you do video about Tom Horn (a cowboy during the years 1884ish to 1903) or Andrew Kehoe (a farmer turned to an insane mass murderer) i would really like to see videos of these two preferably on Andrew Kehoe. thanks :)

[@fatsmellyscumbag5221]

Leon Trotsky thinks youre hotsky.

[@marcusscott4469]

Harry Truman

[@aceman67]

Can you do a video on Mr Rogers?

[@Biographics]

We did. kzbin.info/www/bejne/boimn4RnjLqWraM

[@connorgleeson9324]

Trotsky was exiled from the USSR in 1929. The first KFC opened in 1930. Coincedence? I THINK NOT!

[@ivangrodznoi2058]

Whoa... Mind = Blown

[@friedipar]

He even looked like the Colonell and was dedicated to feed the poor...

[@UkraineJames2000]

Based and Chickenpilled

[@robsmissen4]

Another fine win for Trotskyism! Workers revolution and fried chicken? I'm loving it.

[@AveryFB]

Impossible

[@Imperiously]

*The most deported man I've ever heard of*

[@udaykhatry]

The most deported man lived in mexico until his death. This was before the wall was built. How ironic.

[@man4437]

@William II Power Oy vey, mate.

[@rumourhats]

Well, it's one way to travel the world for free.

[@notmaireelneim]

Legend has it, he is still being deported to this day.

[@StarQuest916]

The Godless Antisemitic much?

[@kaisercalvin1742]

Shooting stars: Sad Lennin. Shooting Tzars: Happy Lennin.

[@haikat4]

RIP Saint Nicholas II

[@cosbysweater9153]

@@haikat4 You mean Tsar Nicholas II

[@t.c.6920]

*Lenin

[@mqge2481]

haikat4 LLL

[@hyperion3145]

@@t.c.6920 Lemon*

[@dougdouglas3696]

At Trotsky's funeral people came to pay their respects to the dearly deported.

[@user-yp1vq5es7s]

Doug Douglas Stop

[@dainn0668]

Why so mad

[@iainrobb2076]

A number of people saw no 'point' in it, and felt many of the mourners were hand 'picked'.

[@dougdouglas3696]

@@iainrobb2076 lol, good one

[@yiannoscyprus]

This one right here

[@MrCordycep]

Using a hunger strike to protest somebody like Stalin is not exactly the best life choice to make. 🤔

[@allencummings7564]

It worked tho

[@anne-droid7739]

MrCordycep That's the cleverest reference to state-enforced famine I've ever heard.

[@HinterHog]

Brilliant.

[@MarcelloSevero]

@@anne-droid7739 How does the state exactly enforce a famine? There's no evidence of the USSR "taking all of the food" or magically stopping people from farming. The fact is that it was mostly a result of kulak resistance to collectivization, since they used destructive means to protest collectivization. And before anyone claims that collectivization was authoritarian or oppressive, by definition it literally entails getting rid of landlords you exploit farmers.

[@anne-droid7739]

@@MarcelloSevero Whoopsie--you made a very telling Freudian slip: I'm not a landlord. Nor am I Ukrainian, Kazakh, or anyone else who was driven to cannibalism under Stalin's experiments. See, we humans as a whole--collectively--share a common morality, and we don't like Stalin's experiments any more than we like anyone else's.

[@localcrackhouse]

Oh my god Trotsky there’s an assassin behind you. Oh my god he can’t hear us he has AirPods in

[@chadistan4790]

Let's speak in sign language 🖐️🖐️👇☝️👆👉🖕🖕👊✊👎👋🙌🤲👏👐🤟🙏🤜🏻💪

[@paul3003mathew]

Stupid capitalist imperialist pig...in Soviet union we have "Atmospheric audio chambers" which is used for hearing glorious songs about motherland and communism

[@dudeman5303]

@How bout' you chill Bolsheviks had no issue with change in technology. Just corporatism.

[@brewtalityk]

Air pods are trash - they don't cancel out sound at all. I think he would've been fine ;)

[@kaderpdi1982]

@@brewtalityk its just a joke

[@owenb8636]

After Lenin died, Stalin told Trotsky that the funeral was happening on the wrong date, causing him to miss it.

[@bones3439]

Aw

[@afonya553]

Well yeah that’s a good thing; wouldn’t you have done the same if you wanted to overpower him? And imagine how bad it would’ve been if Trotsky was leader instead of Stalin.

[@wilhelmbittrich88]

The way Stalin constantly fucked with Trotsky is actually hilarious.

[@odim7960]

Chili the PUBGer no Trotsky would've been way better leader. Serious dick move from Stalin

[@VinuDada]

@@afonya553 trotsky would have been way better stalin was a retard brute

[@farhadmoshref8016]

Leon Trotsky about Stalin : " The vengeance of history is more powerful than the vengeance of any powerful general secretary ." . History proved him right.!!!

[@bryankochar7615]

@Red Baron I would've had Stalin gargling on my nut if I was born in 1900

[@amirsabbaghi209]

No history didn't do so! Stalin didn't see ussr fall.

[@wannabecar8733]

Stalin: You kept me from the room where it happens for the last time (Hamilton obedient servant)

[@marymoore3585]

@@bryankochar7615 best pull his teeth first.

[@user-hg7gj7sd1t]

"I know that after death, a pile of rubbish will be put on my grave. But the wind of history will ruthlessly dispel it" J.V. Stalin

[@MovieGuy]

You just forgot to told where Trotsky got his name. Leon was the name of his grandfather and Trotsky was the name of a warden he met when he was in prison.

[@JacquesduPlessis11]

@@williehawaii9967 Ah a racist, how does it feel to know that you are what is wrong with the world? Tell us all about your fears that one day humanity will be a slightly darker skin tone and that this is a real problem to care about...

[@simbachvazo6530]

Alright guys how about we calm the Hell down? Leon Trotsky took 2 cool sounding names and made them one cooler more well known one. Thats it and thats all.

[@bones3439]

@@williehawaii9967 i-what?

[@williehawaii9967]

Mr. Bones go on Twitter. Look up Jewish writers. All claiming to be part of the white race. And when you attack them they will reveal themselves to be Jewish and call you an antisemite

[@williehawaii9967]

Jacques du Plessis tell me how black people didn’t have wheels or a writing system when white people found them in subsahara africa

[@benjaminbjarkason611]

This is extremely accurate and doesn’t seem to be biased as some of the other videos I have seen on trotsky, keep up the good work!

[@mahmoudahmadinejad1713]

this is bs. this trotsky & early revolutionaries good, stalin bad narrative is bs. no mention of the red terror planned mostly by the leader of the red army. no mention of the prosecution of even communist and socialists by the red army. also the bolsheviks were not the many and the mensheviks were not the few. and power did not just 'go' to the bolsheviks, it was grabbed with a coup on both governments because the petrograd soviet would not vote for violent revolution. and if trotsky were to take power the soviet union would probably face a military intervention from most of the world because of his internationalist crap. the only criticism on trotsky here is his no war no peace bs, which is nothing compared to other things.

[@DarthHakka]

Joseph Stalin ruined communism We need to resurrect Rasputin!!!

[@kraanz]

@@DarthHakka Strange logic. What has Rasputin to do with communism?

[@b.griffin317]

@@DarthHakka egh, it was marx.

[@atlanteanautist1434]

⛏⛏⛏

[@thatguy6919]

Trosky: "Hey Comrades, what if we try not betraying the people we claim to represent?" Every other communist party member: "GULAG"

[@Ye4rZero]

I think it would have gone suddenly silent, you can hear crickets chirping. 48 hours later 70% of the people there were deported

[@michaelhalejr516]

Trotsky was more of a Communist than Stalin All Stalin did was change the Capitalist Trotsky knee this and wanted to explunge the whole power dynamic

[@khangarraty727]

@Barrack Obama Vlogs Not true at all. Stalinist bureaucracy is 100% incompatible with a dictatorship of the proletariat which is crucial to Leninist theory. Stalin certainly claimed to be as close as you could get, but prior to lenins death, even he started to take issue with stalin as their political ideas were diverging as early as ~1923

[@ethanmcfarland8240]

still communism isnt a working system

[@thetroubledman5951]

@@michaelhalejr516 trotsky is a revisionist.

[@AlonsoMeloMX]

The house of Trotsky museum in Mexico City is legit

[@taintedtaylor2586]

I actually visited it when I went to Mexico City. Coyoacán, the place where it is, is amazingly beautiful.

[@yibithehispanic]

Would blow that place up

[@luxvenus]

@@yibithehispanic wtf is wrong

[@yibithehispanic]

@@luxvenus Everything

[@gipsydanger7379]

I wonder what the war would have looked like. If he had taken power.

[@martinfawkes595]

Gipsy Danger you should check out the alternate history hub video “what if Stalin never came to power”. It is probably the best answer to that what if scenario you’ll ever find.

[@greymind9815]

@@martinfawkes595 he use the wrong photos.

[@Edax_Royeaux]

Well if Trotsky was reinstalled into government before Operation Barbarossa, the Germans would never have gotten so close to Moscow and probably would never have reached Stalingrad.

[@julemandenudengaver4580]

@@Edax_Royeaux naah a year or 2 before maby and if the Purge never happened

[@Edax_Royeaux]

@@julemandenudengaver4580 He'd never have gotten installed after a post-purge though.

[@jontyarnold8522]

If Trotsky had taken over and not Stalin.....one of the great “ifs”.....

[@anakalim6988]

@Joseph Melendez one of the reason why Germany was winning in the early war was because of the purge, and guess whose idea was it, Stalin

[@anakalim6988]

@Joseph Melendez like I said, the one of the main reason the Soviet got pushed back hard was because the complete lack of preparation and many of the officers were dead thus resulting in the lack of organization, the main reasons the Soviet won was because the German just didn't have enough resources to defeat the Soviet, and the encirclement in Stalingrad was just too much for Germany to handle, Stalin Paranoia caused the German to win in the early war, it was just after the Soviet recover from the purge the Soviet started winning

[@anakalim6988]

@Joseph Melendez nah, the people that got purged was not incompetent, Stalin were scared of them, the Soviet would be far better at fighting the German in the early war if the people that got purged are still alive, and the reason why the Soviet was caught of guard was because of, guess who, Stalin, he trusted Hitler too much, despite the western allies telling him that the German are going to invade soon, Stalin thought if Germany and Soviet are going to war, the Soviet will be at the offense, he was wrong

[@jaydengray4015]

Ardy AF and you realize trotsky executes thousand and thousands of his own army in the civil war right?

[@taliawtf6944]

There is no if, it would have been a communist hell hole as ALL communist countries become. We have had over 100 years of communism being tried and all we have to show for it is a death toll so high it may never be fully tallied. It's a failed evil system invented by a man who never had a job in his life and never actively participated in the system he hated there for knowing nothing of it.

[@SiVlog1989]

Imagine how the Soviet Union would have been if Trotsky had prevailed over Stalin

[@cezarcatalin1406]

SiVlog Edit: My blind pro-Trotsky argument was utter cringe, much like this entire comment section. There was not that much of a difference between Stalin and Trotsky, each had good ideas and strategies, it’s just that Stalin was a lot more organised and concise. Neither were bad leaders.

[@frankteng]

ᏰĪᏝᏝ ՇÎρɧᏋƦ oof I felt that

[@skylarpatterson1408]

@@cezarcatalin1406 trotsky

[@skylarpatterson1408]

@@cezarcatalin1406 you forget that trotsky was an imperialist, so there also would have been incredible state control as well as countless more wars. Look up Trotskivite communism

[@doc7115]

@@cezarcatalin1406 Trotsky was an advocate for the world revolution so he would start world war himself.

[@BaliesStories]

PS: Trotsky was much more of a ”street-fighter” than Stalin (or Lenin) was. And no Marxist revolutionary considered himself an ”idealist”, a word that was used as an insult.

[@feuccj5542]

Are you a Marxist?

[@Ashley-1917]

We are materialists.

[@mYnAME-ww9iv]

Street-fighter? That's understatement dude! As a General (don't know real rank name) he sometimes personally led soldiers into battle. I mean all Revolutionaries are strong-willed but oh man, was Trotsky a zealous one! P.S. Answering to the first question: Yes, we're Marxists.

[@SeattlePioneer]

Perhaps so. Stalin was a sneaky back stairs political operator. FAR more important than being a street fighter.

[@meatrackgames]

🤣 The comments on this vid are hilarious. Please keep advertising your ignorance. Trotsky was a spineless rat who changed his mind every two secs behind he was a vain political opportunist.

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

Señor Trotsky?

[@leonaarnaud402]

Ur Gai Yeah not good, señor.

[@arnoldoaramburo5321]

@Ur Gai Yeah much better than now

[@w5527]

Napoleon I Bonaparte Trostky*

[@sladetuner8661]

Icepick got your Mr Trotsky ?

[@thecurdy]

It's Mr Adam Hilt!

[@DarkLordoftheMeme]

I once managed to convince a Trotskyist that Trotsky's last words were "is that an ice-pick in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?"

[@johnvuillemot4805]

Yes

[@tyrawr4394]

why and how

[@OriginalBongoliath]

@@tyrawr4394 Communists are stupid.

[@soapboxx9664]

That flies they are normally very stupid

[@yourmother3126]

But why? Why would you do that?

[@zadubs1037]

The first four minutes of this summary of Trotsky’s life contain more political engagement than most people today display in their entire lives.

[@rinzo2009]

Leon Trotsky. The Snowball of Animal Farm.

[@hassouss4512]

Joseph Stalin. The Napoleon of Animal Farm.

[@TheHorseOutside]

Vladimir Lenin/Karl Marx. The Old Major of Animal Farm.

[@tersolarcells9656]

The author of the book, George Orwell was a Trotskyism follower, in both Animal Farm and '1984', he had Stalin and Trotsky written into the book. In Animal Farm, Napoleon was clearly the Joseph Stalin, Snowball was clearly Trotsky. While in '1984', the 'Big Brother' has been Stalin and the degenerated worker state as the party.

[@PennyDreadful1]

@@tersolarcells9656 Yes and It pisses me off when rightists use George Orwell to defend their own stance.

[@forgetful9845]

@@tersolarcells9656 he was a democratic socialist not a trotskyist. And as a libertarian i still STRONGLY admire orwell's stance against authoritarianism, even if im not a leftist

[@gabri770]

You guys are unbelievable, can’t seem to get enough of these biographies!

[@Biographics]

Thanks!!

[@phil4863]

🎶 "YOU'RE UNBELIEVABLE!"

[@dheosilalahi7241]

@@phil4863 WE'RE UNBELIEVABLE

[@LeastTresCharLargo]

I'm unbelievable

[@chrisc475]

​@@LeastTresCharLargoI'm not

[@thepezfeo]

I wish they would clarify that the "ice pick" is an *"ice axe"* used for mountain climbing, and not the type used to chip ice in the kitchen (that resembles a screw-driver). I think most people hearing of an attack with an "ice pick" would think of a screw-driver, not a hand-axe.

[@grolaw]

Pezfeo exactly! I was looking through the comments to see if anybody picked up on the error. The specifics: Ice Axes have a long shaft of made of wood or metal ~45-60 cm (~2.5 feet) long with a sharp metal point on one end and a head with a narrow pick and sharp, slightly curved adze on the other. The tool is used in alpine mountaineering. The pick or shaft is used to “self arrest” a fall that happens when climbing on a glacier or snowfield. The adze is used to cut foot & hand holds in ice or hard snow. The pick side of the Ice Axe head is ~25 cm long at least 1 cm wide and 4 mm thick steel. The pick that killed Trotsky was not a simple spike: It was a curved and hardened steel shaft attached to a long handle that the assassin swung at Trotsky’s head. It’s remarkable that Trotsky survived for any period of time. Why an ice axe? There are three volcanos just south of Mexico City with summits that are much higher than 14,000 ft. Pico de Orizaba is 18,700 ft and it is the third highest peak in the Western Hemisphere.

[@zacksima8333]

I mean I just think of the Minecraft Pickaxe mining ice xD

[@simbachvazo6530]

When I hear pick I think of a pickaxe and not a chisel. Either way its said is fine.

[@bones3439]

Thank God someone knows

[@swamivardana9911]

@@bones3439 'they were axed' 'bury the axe' came from here?

[@Matt-ww9wv]

I wish I knew the debate between him and his wife. That seems like such an interesting conversation.

[@VegasViking420]

I always appreciate how thorough and detailed these episodes are, yall clearly give your research it's due diligence with as little bias as possible! Thank you!

[@Remo860]

Do a video on Rosa Luxemburg.

[@ts-wo6pp]

Bernie sanders killed rosa Luxemburg

[@alexkid7166]

He done one on Rose from Luxembourg, will that do ?

[@jaysonbiggs8979]

@@ts-wo6pp His ideological forefathers did. Along with elements that later became Nazis. Especially the triggerman who was later given an award by the Nazis after they assumed power.

[@ts-wo6pp]

@@jaysonbiggs8979 wdym Sanders is being immune to mortal worries such as "aging". He was directly involved with the assassination. Jokes aside, didn't the social Democrats just hand it off to the brownshirts to do?

[@jaysonbiggs8979]

@@ts-wo6pp No brownshirts at that time. It was the Freikorps. Who were decomissioned WWI right wing officers. Later to become part of the Brownshirts. The Social Dems and Freikorps worked to kill her and Karl Leibkernecht. Shot. She always said she wanted to die on the barricades fighting for revolution. Not the way she did. Her shot body dumped in a river. Today there is a plaque to commemorate where the body was dumped in the river. Germans and people from around the world regularly visit the spot.

[@Khralle97]

Wow I was literally Googling him earlier and I thought "Im suprised they haven't done a Biographics about this guy yet"

[@jhyland87]

It's Alexa, reading your mind! Invasion of privacy

[@christiannipales9937]

They had a poll not too long about with trotskyist on it

[@ghostbuddy3106]

What the hell is wrong with your neck?!

[@Fuckethead]

Calling doctor Meinhoff!

[@spoonfed2789]

Lenin was a pragmatist, Trotsky was an idealist, Stalin was a power-hungry opportunist.

[@anngo4140]

Then there was Beria...

[@dudeiii2069]

@@anngo4140 the bald dude

[@hewhoshallnotbenamed5168]

And Kruschev was the reformist and Gorbachev was the "tear down this wall!" uh........ ist!

[@Heavygusto]

@@hewhoshallnotbenamed5168 "tear down this wall!"ist, also known as secret neoliberal.

[@alpacamale2909]

Trotsky was a bit dumb

[@stephenlane9168]

Always interesting Simon. Always entertaining. Great research by the team and well written. Is there anything else worth watching other than Simon Whistler content? 🤔🤷🏻

[@darkkhof]

You managed to take Trotsky’s character in a very objective view as gray as it is not a monster or an angel just a man looking to have his place in this world

[@leeboy2k1]

Or...a frustrated man child who couldn't live upto his Dad's expectations of him to be a provider, and like many Ashkenazi Jews fantasized and later instigated mass persecution of Slavic people.. especially Christians.

[@Joseph-cq3ij]

@@leeboy2k1 It always comes back to the daddy with Capitalists.

[@BaliesStories]

Trotsky, as Commissar of the Red Army was infamous for its “scorched earth” and “take no prisoners” tactics. And not just with their enemies. On one occasion, in a Soviet planning meeting, the other members all disagreed with Trotsky’s argument, and were preparing to vote his proposal down. He reached under the desk, pulled out a sub-machine gun and shot the lot of them. Then noted his proposal down in the Minutes as having been approved “Nem Con”.

[@G.K.19]

​@@leeboy2k1 Yes we heard you christian capitalist manchild

[@ems4884]

Trotsky was never the monster in the Soviet Union that some in the West made him out to be. That was Stalin. Trotsky preferred moderation. He remained committed to the best and noble aspirations of communism, whereas Stalin opted for cruelty and used the people as cannon fodder and menial labor with no respect for the value of their lives. The Cold War propaganda about Trotsky was ultimately somewhat unfair. He didn't do anything in the violent early years of Soviet civil war that other leaders would have to have done. Some of the stories of his violence are apocryphal, including the one mentioned here in this thread. Condemn Stalin all you want. He deserves it. Trotsky ... Not so much. If he had followed Lenin, the subsequent history of the USSR would probably have been very different. Certainly not perfect, but probably a little less nasty than stalinism.

[@MidnightMan5001]

"Took Trotsky out of the picture!"

[@lowkey3921]

Dropped a hammer on you harder than I bitchslapped Hitler

[@aidancampbell6926]

*angry red man with brilliant moustache jumps from ceiling*

[@aidancampbell6926]

"I have no pride for you!"

[@moogoesacow1]

Who ruined everything my revolution was doing to stop the bourgeoisie

[@JamVar]

@@moogoesacow1 I fought the bondage of classes!

[@Suomaki]

You mix Finnish White guard with Russian White army. Russian White army tried to free Tsar, not the finns..

[@Ye4rZero]

If the finns had tried, they would have got it done.

[@rapier1954]

Technically he is correct

[@Boxeri]

Indeed, ristus notta!!

[@omarmahfouz5599]

"You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you" Trotsky

[@dheosilalahi7241]

Soviet Russia meme before it was cool

[@phantombeard6262]

Bio on Louis Riel or Terry Fox? (Maybe even one on Sir John a Macdonald?) Awesome job Biographics

[@sbennett2435]

I'm guessing you're from Canada? I'm in favor of all 3, especially Louis Riel.

[@hughmac13]

Can't help but agree

[@GORYAWARRIA]

Yes my fellow canadian I agree.

[@stuart644]

Yes Louis Real would be interesting. Controversial.

[@heathergundry7059]

Very very informative. You have summed up Trotsky so that I know just enough and don't have to plough through literature as I would find that too hard going. So, thanks!

[@TheHippocrocapig]

'How many times do you want to be deported'? 'Yes'

[@brianbommarito3376]

George Orwell used Trotsky as a model and inspiration for the characters of Snowball from “Animal Farm” and Emmanuel Goldstein from “1984.”

[@Ken-no5ip]

Stalin went ⛏

[@danielfried4896]

SP1TF1RE Stalin *Meets Lennin and Trotsky laughing Stalin : What’s going on? Trotsky : I told Lennin a joke. Stalin: You want to hear a good one? Trotsky: Sure Stalin : Ice pick to the head. Trotsky : I don’t get it. Stalin : Not yet.

[@danielfried4896]

Peter Michalski You are right and there was nothing wrong for you to Axe me that

[@Ye4rZero]

^that pick emoji even looks like the cross he put next to your name. Most underrated comment here

[@papaindica3185]

@@danielfried4896 Trotsky's last words " I've been wooooshed."

[@phillipsandy1789]

Would love to see one on John Carpenter and/or Wes Craven. Thank you sir, I learn a lot watching this channel

[@ignitionfrn2223]

0:45 - Chapter 1 - Beginnings 2:20 - Chapter 2 - Becoming a revolutionary 3:50 - Chapter 3 - Becoming Trotsky 5:40 - Chapter 4 - 1905 Revolution 7:05 - Chapter 5 - Pravda 8:15 - Chapter 6 - Deportations 9:35 - Mid roll ads 11:20 - Chapter 7 - The october revolution 12:25 - Chapter 8 - Pulling out of the war 14:05 - Chapter 9 - Civil war 16:15 - Chapter 10 - Stalin vs Trostky 17:45 - Chapter 11 - Banished 20:20 - Chapter 12 - Stalin's revenge

[@PeterGregoryKelly]

Stalin v. Trotsky. A theme which occurs over and over in history and legend. Able and Cain, Jacob and Esau, Romulus and Remus. Brothers in arms together and frequently against each other. Very archetypal.

[@rimfire8217]

Brother against Brother. An Old Struggle. Maybe even Older than the Struggle of Oppressor and Oppressed.

[@DarkChocolateGamer]

I got the high ground Stalin! Stalin: But you're a Dragon type, And? Stalin: Ice Fang!

[@jhyland87]

Is this an insider game joke or something?

[@DarkChocolateGamer]

@@jhyland87 yeah Pokemon typing joke. Dragon Types are weak to Ice moves

[@vinny5638]

I got the high ground is a star wars meme tho, so this is some star wars-pokemon hybrid inside joke to break the minds of all dorks in a 12 mile radius

[@Samm815]

Still, replace Ice Fang with Ice Pick.

[@AnuragKumar-ik1kc]

Lmao you managed to put the Russian revolution, Pokemon and star Wars into a comment. Respect

[@rustyhumanbeing]

I'm gonna come back every time you guys post a new video, just to comment that I would like to see one done on Terence McKenna. Thank you for your time.

[@10908070605040302]

great video man , more time on images of the time and story would be sweet !

[@Thanxloveit]

So educational, eye opening. Saul Alisky ( book: Rules for radicals) would be an interesting one. Thank you for excellent content. : ) : )

[@editorrbr2107]

I follow many of your channels, Simon. And alongside Visual..., Biographics may be your finest work. Perfect length to delve into the material but not get lost in the forest for the trees; quite balanced, and well-sourced. And you’re an excellent presenter.

[@georgekraft1401]

I like your videos, for the most part. One on Eugene Debs and also Clarence Darrow would be great.

[@corsewonder4761]

"A man walked in and buried an ice pick etc." ? Thats a very unsatisfying description of the complex assasination story.

[@tylernorgart3647]

Thanks brilliant. And thanks Simon. I never would have found brilliant without you!

[@nielfindlay705]

Way back in school, i wish i had biographics in the palm of my hands. I studied History as one of my major subjects. I would have done 100 times better had I had Biographics at my fingertips. Thank-You Simon for a job well done. I sincerely enjoy brushing up on all the familiar names in history .

[@Duececoupe]

Brilliant....THAT is what your channels are Simon! They're quickly becoming THE big favourites of those that I subscribe to! Looking forward to see many more videos! 👍🏻👌🏻👏🏻

[@ChubbyChecker182]

He should do Pranks In Da Hood

[@Biographics]

lol

[@angelitabecerra]

Now you *have* to do a video on Frida Kahlo. With a separate one for Diego Rivera. A Jackson Pollock video would be lovely too. Along with one on the French Painter Manet (and no commenters, that's not a typo for Monet).

[@cartersmith8560]

I have watched a dozen of your biographies....absolutely riveting

[@thewalkingthrones9165]

My notification looked different, I didn't know it was Biographics.

[@anderswibbidy449]

Love this channel! Could you do a video on John Wilkes Booth or Charles Guiteau? Maybe even Leon Czolgosz, sry I like assassination...

[@NaCreagachaDubha]

One of the best things about these videos is the way Simon mispronounces everything. Love it!

[@choxxxieful]

Nicely done ! It gave new meaning to the phrase "burying the hatchet"... ooo....

[@handsomed8732]

Can you please do one on the Swamp Fox (Francis Marion)?

[@billyvonderburg7351]

@@thehylian6984 me too :-( but I consider myself a New Yorker since moving here. New York feels so natural to me :-)

[@charlesclarke4216]

Biographic on Micheal Collins the Irish rebel and first commander and chief

[@davidmchugh4962]

Thumbs up for that as a fellow Corkonian))

[@mariussielcken]

from the bolsje-wikipedia: "The two factions were originally known as "hard" (Lenin's supporters) and "soft" (Martov's supporters), but the terminology soon changed to "Bolsheviks" and "Mensheviks", from the Russian bolshinstvo ("majority") and menshinstvo ("minority"). On the other hand, Martov's supporters won the vote concerning the question of party membership. Neither Lenin nor Martov had a firm majority throughout the Congress as delegates left or switched sides. At the end, the Congress was evenly split between the two factions. " Lenin adopted the term 'majority', because 'hard' sounded bad. It refers to Lenin's proposed policy that would ensure a majority of orthodox communists in power ('a hard core') by strict ideological testing for party membership, while the Mensheviks, by advocating opening up membership, were allegedly jeopardizing this orthodoxy. It does not refer to any factual majority and Lenin ended democracy before any such facts could be established. The Bolsjewiks were never the majority.

[@janosmarothy5409]

No, the Bolsheviks were in fact a majority in 1903, and it's common knowledge that that's where the name derives from and refers to. Obviously the situation changes within the RSDLP as time go on, and the names continues to stick even though within a few years they ceased to be two factions of the same party and become separate organizations. No point pretending there's something "dishonest" about the name.

[@mikemo1993]

@Biographics Hey Simon, long-time avid supporter and subscriber here. I’ve watched hours of your content and applaud your evolution of media presence and your narration style. I believe you’re among the most respectable educational KZbin channels and appreciate your level of quality. If I’m being honest, I find the sound effects/corny bits inserted in your videos rather tacky. Don’t stop producing your awesome and insightful content, and as always, thank you for uploading.

[@hakeemfullerton8645]

I'm glad you guys made a video on Trotsky because I don't think a lot of people know about him.

[@phil4863]

I learned about him in 10th grade history class

[@seanbinkley7363]

Thanks Simon! I've been wanting to learn more about Trosky. I sometimes feel like he's a bit overlooked.

[@demilembias2527]

"we are going to get to the very important October revolution, but, first, let me tell you about our sponsor" made me laugh really hard for some reason.

[@jamesdykes517]

The juxtaposition of capitalism just before hitting the birth of communism as we know it. Your sense of humor is spot on.

[@demilembias2527]

@@jamesdykes517 should have been a pizza hut ad tbh

[@AMKR4Lyfe]

Wilhelm Reich is incredibly fascinating and would love to see a biographic on him. Austrian doctor of medicine and psychoanalyst, a member of the second generation of analysts after Sigmund Freud. The author of several influential books which left Dr.Wilhelm Reich known as one of the most radical figures in the history of psychiatry. “The great psychiatrist Wilhelm Reich once wrote, "No President, Academy, Court of Law, Congress or Senate on this earth has the knowledge or power to decide what will be the knowledge of tomorrow." In 1957, the government of the United States of America jailed Dr. Reich and burned all of his published works. Wilhelm Reich in Hell provides a remarkable new look at the vilification and destruction of a great man who refused to bow to Gestapo tactics.”- Wilhelm Reich In Hell by Robert Anton Wilson 😇

[@stevesheldon8616]

Wasn't he also extremely enthusiastic about the "benefits" of having sex with children?

[@tonyrandall3146]

@@stevesheldon8616 Please provide a source for this sensationalist claim.

[@laurancerobinson]

Would love to see a source for your claim that the Finnish White Guard were the reason of the execution. The White Guard of Finland were a wee bit busy consolidating in their own country. While some members of the Finnish whites did lead expeditions into Russian territory, it was mainly in Eastern Karelia. The generally accepted theory for the order of the execution was the approaching Czechoslovak Legions, which had been asked by the Entente powers to attempt a rescue of the Imperial Family.

[@What.was.my.name.againn]

I would love to see a video on Emperor of Justinian and his restoration.

[@andrewjacks2716]

I'd second this! Or the general Belisarius, who was instrumental in the reconquest (and decimation) of much of the western Mediterranean.

[@What.was.my.name.againn]

@@andrewjacks2716 yes! That would be just as good.

[@felixvanmears]

@@andrewjacks2716 yeah, he's underrated

[@waverider8549]

Followed by the one on Theodora

[@joshuahunt3032]

Sekhmet of Egypt unless and until Biographics covers Justinian, Extra Credits covered him in their Extra History series.

[@balrajsingh776]

You are a fantastic narrator and presenter. Thumbs up!

[@danmorrison8194]

Informative video but you missed a great opportunity to play Shostakovich’s 11th symphony “1905”. There are some great programmatic scenes- especially when the military comes in. Edit: Shostakovich’s music is still copyrighted.

[@brentgranger7856]

Ok. You've mentioned Frida Kahlo in this video. Now, can you do her very interesting life? Similar names you can touch on from the USSR include Semyon Budyonny, Nikolai Yezhov, and Felix Dzerzhinsky,

[@Kenxclout]

What does a Soviet optimist say? It can't get any worse!

[@robertmonroe6434]

In America you put In God we Trust on your money, in Soviet Union we have no money.... Lol

[@louisjwiese5515]

Lol, they use the same phrase in my home country of South Africa (which ironically is becoming more communist in nature). And every year... It gets worse.

[@braxtonbarfriquaorme8703]

Yes it can.

[@louisjwiese5515]

joseph Stalin Lol, of course you would say that Mr Stalin! 😂

[@semirgerkhan6701]

@@robertmonroe6434 There was a ton of money, there just wasn't anything to buy with it.

[@Freddie1980]

History lost track of first wife by all accounts she ended up in a Labor camp and died in the late 1930's.

[@jaysonbiggs8979]

A number of inaccuracies: He adopted the name Trotsky because it was the name of one of his guards during his first (or second) imprisonment. The Bolshevik- Menshevik split was over what type of organization would lead a revolution. The big issue behind that was what type of revolution did Russia need. There was no "communist newspaper" in the early 1900's. Because there was no communist party. No one called themselves communist. That title came around 1919. They called themselves Social Democrats. His last words were actually directed at his followers: "Go forward."

[@alex4863]

Biographics, I am a huge fan. Always rewatching episodes when bored. If I can be suggestive, I think an episode on "Jesse James" would be amazing.

[@r.chamaemorus8025]

He looked like an older version of Harry Potter.

[@ViraL_FootprinT.ex.e]

16:07 The ominous music once Stalin's name is mentioned is perfect comedy.

[@troyc7726]

World History, The Universe and Prehistoric Topics are the best things to watch on YT

[@Minboelf]

Trotsky: *exists* Stalin: remove him from power Trotsky: fled to Mexico and write essay criticising stalin Stalin: *I'm gonna put an end to this man's career*

[@full-timepog6844]

About to end this man's whole -career- *life*

[@nrs6956]

Excellent clip. Quite a job of summation of Trotsky's life.

[@tifannimayes5223]

I would LOVE a Frida Kahlo video! Great content as always!

[@victorcabanelas]

My fav of the "big 3" of the Soviet Revolution. Another great video, keep up the great work!

[@gertymcderty7709]

You should do Wayne Wheeler next! He was the man who orchestrated prohibition.

[@squamish4244]

The Bolsheviks were actually the minority party and the Mensheviks the majority, although their names mean literally the opposite.

[@squamish4244]

Towards the end, yes. But when the parties were formed in 1903 and for almost all of the period up to the October Revolution afterwards, that was the case. The Bolsheviks' rise in mid-1917 was very rapid and fuelled partly by vast sums of money spent on them by Imperial Germany.

[@TheHorseOutside]

Stalin: *exiles Trotsky for speaking against him* Trotsky: I'LL FUCKING DO IT AGAIN

[@kevinmauricio4747]

Do one of franz Ferdinand plz!! Love your vids great job!!

[@nikd545]

Where did Trotsky found all the money needed to sustain himself, living in a good house and having personal guard?

[@jaimeerives8793]

He was a writer

[@nikd545]

@@jaimeerives8793 Any of his works?Would be intresting such a fanatic communist living like a capitalis lol

[@jaimeerives8793]

@@nikd545 lmfao thats not even relatively close to "living like a capitalist" chum hes just a typical worker who turned revolutionary The capitalists and/or bourgeois that communist refer too are the private owners of oil industries,private lumber industries, private water industries, ect. Essentially the people who keep the working class impoverished by hoarding supplies and "selling" them for capital which is just a mental barrier for the dumb and submissive uhhhh sheeple if you will

[@nikd545]

@@jaimeerives8793 simply imprest.

[@JoseSanchez-ev9qb]

And I have to say thank you I have spent two years trying to get my nephews to learn about history yet nothing stuck!!! I showed them your rasptuin veido and wow their grades in history went from Ds and Fs to C's and Bs and it's funny they watch veidos without me even telling them too great job Ese!!!

[@MaryamofShomal]

Great uncle!!

[@ems7623]

It's amazing that a century later, there's still so much bias and misinformation out there about Trotsky. This video does a decent job, but when a topic is as controversial as this, one ought not to dance over the historical sources so lightly.

[@rimfire8217]

Trotsky was a strange almost ghostly Figure in History. He existed then he didn’t.

[@Ticklestein]

2:14 Which piece is that playing in the background. I know it but can’t name it and it’s keeping me awake.

[@josefstalin3281]

Dance of the knights

[@Tomtheepicestgamer]

Any idea about possibly bringing these out as podcasts?

[@silkwesir1444]

there are ways to convert youtube videos into mp3 yourself...

[@ziggyzap1]

do Nikolai Bukharin the most overlooked Bolshevik!

[@ruturajshiralkar5566]

Genrikh Yagoda screwed him

[@Janik-pwoejrur]

Bukharin was a rightist

[@ziggyzap1]

@@Janik-pwoejrur by communist standards yes.

[@Janik-pwoejrur]

@@ziggyzap1 No, he would‘ve caused the restoration of capitalism with his politics

[@ziggyzap1]

@@Janik-pwoejrur I don't believe a full restoration of capitalism, something similar to what China is now, is what I am thinking.

[@concernedliberal4453]

"Leon Trotsky: Communism's True Sucker" There, fixed it for ya!

[@thatssofetch3481]

Ok liberal

[@thatssofetch3481]

Luke Hin Their name is “concerned liberal”

[@neorich59]

"Whatever happened to Leon Trotsky? He got an ice pick. That made his ears burn." Summed up by The Stranglers in 3 lines.... Almost as good as a potted History lesson as: "Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen. There was a cat who really was gone!" 😉

[@SymphonyBrahms]

Rasputin was never Alexandra's lover. That was a rumor started by the aristocrats who didn't like her.

[@MrGustaphe]

He was always Picked on by his friends.

[@baldkevindurant]

And his friend Stalin picked on him the most.

[@MrGustaphe]

Don't let that distract you from the fact that Trotsky had an identical twin named Steve Harrington.

[@comradesam3382]

@@MrGustaphe I taught that was colonel Sanders

[@ecksdee1637]

I guess Stalin "picked" on him literally hehehehe

[@mr51406]

Excellent biography! As a “fellow traveller” myself, I found it lucid and loyal. Good work! For those who speak French I recommend this audio biography of Trotsky by French historian (and socialist) Henri Guillemin: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4KpnnhnZteLeKM. It is totally complimentary to Simon’s video. In an alternate history, if Trotsky had led the USSR, it would still have been a “dictatorship of the proletariat,” but imho probably closer to something Gorbachev tried to do. Or maybe a “good” Khrushchev. Trotsky had a very high opinion of himself but he wasn’t nasty and paranoid like Stalin.

[@SeattlePioneer]

The justification for Stalin is that he acquired the money needed to industrialize USSR by waging war on the peasantry and taking their land and produce. Then he bought the bfactories and machibnery needed to industrialize and did that in a handful of years. That provided the basis for the massive war production that enabled USSR to beat Hitler, and to flog stupendous efforts out of Red Army soldiers. I agree that Trotsky would not have had the ability or motivation to engage in the stupendous brutality that created the USSR war machine that beat Hitler. Trotsky would have failed in any number of the steps described above ----take your pick,. Failure in any one would have led to Hitler beating USSR. Stalin's defeat of Hitler is the principle justification for all of Stalin's brutal actions. Trotsky could never have done it. And neither could anyone else. Stalin was indispensable, unfortunately.

[@Peter-jy9rk]

​@@SeattlePioneerdo you remember where you first heard this perspective? I've heard it before but only in passing from a podcast, and have been curious about it since.

[@SeattlePioneer]

I'm repeating the basic thesis of Stephen Kotkin's excellent biography of Jospeh Stalin, as best I can. I find he makes a convincing case.

[@geekyradical4985]

@@SeattlePioneer 'I agree that Trotsky would not have had the ability of motivation to engage in the stupendous brutality that created the USSR war machine that beat Hitler'. That's a pretty big conclusion to jump to, if I may say so myself! Considering that Trotsky led the Red Army to victory and crushed the White Army in the civil war/war of intervention, I'd say he would have stood a pretty good chance of leading the Soviet state against the Nazis.

[@SeattlePioneer]

> Heh, heh! We'll never know! Trotski did fine as long as he was a minion of Lenin. But he was a failure when he competed directly against Stalin, being outmaneuvered numerous times, to the point of Stalin killing his children and finally, Trotski himself. And I think the brutality of Stalin was necessary to industrialize the USSR and build the war machine that beat Hitler. I don't think Trotski had it in him ----to his credit.

[@morpheox]

In Swedish there's an expression that goes "[person/thing] går inte av för hackor", which roughly translates to "[person/thing] doesn't break for picks". ...guess that wouldn't apply here.

[@eamonokane2469]

Unreal! I had no idea this happened. Keep it coming

[@andrewvachon3195]

Could you please do Samuel Colt?

[@kikearce2984]

Do Frida Kahlo next

[@kikearce2984]

R D What? Lol

[@cheesygoodness55]

Leon already DID her, lol.

[@coltonc8562]

Jay Saenz 🥵

[@buddymoore6504]

I used to think Simon was just a list guy, but he is very knowledgeable and does a good job explaining history in a unbiased manner

[@paulsmith7579]

He reads a script.

[@kono5933]

And there a tons of mistakes in the majority of them, but nobody who watches his videos is well researched in the topics so they just take his word for it and assume the research is good