Class struggle Quote by Leon Trotsky
““Lenin refused to recognise moral norms established by slave-owners for their slaves and never observed by the slave-owners themselves; he called upon the Proletariat to extend the class struggle into the moral sphere too. Who fawns before the precepts established by the enemy will never vanquish that enemy!””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Political lecture, 1918
He argues that moral standards set by oppressors are hypocritical and must be challenged by the oppressed.
In simple terms: Oppressors' morals are biased; fight them.
Key Takeaway
Question and reject imposed morals.
Themes
politics
ethics
revolution
Mood
critical
inspirational
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- activism
- education
- policy reform
Key Concepts
class struggle
morality
ideology
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines a universal moral norm?
- How can oppressed groups create their own ethics?
A Different Perspective
Might overlook individual moral agency beyond class lines.
![“[Joseph] Stalin closes the exposition of these [Leon Trotsky] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of [Vladimir] Lenin's conception of the proletarian revolution."” quote by Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/240/leon-trotsky-2558_characteristics_joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-t_33931.jpg)
![“In Stalin each [Soviet bureaucrat] easily finds himself. But Stalin also finds in each one a small part of his own spirit. Stalin is the personification of the bureaucracy. That is the substance of his political personality.” quote by Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/01b/leon-trotsky-2558_bureaucracy_in-stalin-each-soviet-bureaucrat-easily_198840.jpg)
