Saccarelli, Emanuele

The Political Theory and Practice of Opposition

Antonio Gramsci and Leon Trotsky in the Shadow of Stalinism

Ph.D. Dissertation.

My dissertation addresses a particular period in the historical development of Marxism in order to make sense of its contemporary impasse, both as an important strand of political theory and as a living political tradition. I focus on the legacy of two important figures, Antonio Gramsci and Leon Trotsky, using their compelling and tragic stories to provide a concrete historical account of the rise of Stalinism in the inter-war period of the 1920s and 30s. The first part of my dissertation confronts the problems concerning the contemporary academic uses of Gramsci. Chapter two highlights some aspects of the Marxist critique of the contemporary uses of Gramsci, in solidarity with its general thrust, but also identifying its limits. I then offer some elements for the reconstruction of this critique on a sounder foundation, which are predicated on the need to deal directly and critically with the degeneration of the international communist movement. The second part of my dissertation examines the significance of Leon Trotsky's legacy. Having found Antonio Gramsci wanting in important respects, I argue that Leon Trotsky provides the more specific historical and political coordinates necessary for a revitalization of Marxism. Chapter four provides a sense of the legacy and grandeur of Trotsky as a historical figure, and examines the problem and prospect of reading Trotsky's work as political theory. It then surveys the existing literature that, on the whole, maintains Trotsky beyond the pale of theory and suppresses his potential uses. Chapter five focuses more specifically on Trotsky's theoretical diagnosis and political opposition to Stalinism. I argue that on this question Trotsky was able to maintain a difficult and remarkable political balance against tremendous pressures. In so doing, Trotsky developed a sophisticated theoretical conceptualization of the long transition to socialism and its disastrous pitfalls, and built an international political movement in opposition to Stalinism. The first stands as the most important advance of Marxist theory after the Russian Revolution, while the significance of the second far exceeds its hitherto modest numbers. Together, they represent an indispensable resource and obligatory passage toward the revitalization of Marxism for our times.
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Language	eng
Names	[author] Saccarelli, Emanuele
Subjects	Teoria Politica Trockij, Lev DavidoviÄ� (Bronstein) political theory Trotsky, Leon