Lenin devoted his life to painstaking examinations of other so-called socialists so as to be able to thoroughly refute their theories. There's nothing wrong with dialectical engagement with others' opinions, and there's nothing wrong with disagreeing with them - and nobody, I hope, will look down upon the effort it takes to carefully read what your political opponents are saying enough in order to then refute their argument.
which Lenin made quickly impossible after the October revolution. Disagree with us, and we'll shoot you or put you in a concentration camp.
[On Trotsky]
- massacre of Kronstadt
- the "terrorism" (his own words) during the civil war.
- state caused famine by expropriation of farmers.
Lenin and Trotsky as well as most of their comrades were driven by an arrogance of thought: We know what's good for you. If you're not with us, you're our enemy and have to be killed. If you're a family member of the enemy, we must kill you. If someone from that village is a saboteur, we have to kill every 10th man in that place.
