---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we close our eyes to the dark sides of…"
description: "\"If we close our eyes to the dark sides of the workers' State which we have helped to create, we shall never reach socialism.\" — Leon Trotsky"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/leon-trotsky-2558_dark_if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-o_1394323.jpg"
---

#  If we close our eyes to the dark sides of the workers'…

![“If we close our eyes to the dark sides of the workers' State which we have helped to create, we shall never reach socialism.” quote by Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/leon-trotsky-2558_dark_if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-o_1394323.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/leon-trotsky-2558_dark_if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-o_1394323.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/leon-trotsky-2558_dark_if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-o_1394323.jpg)

> “If we close our eyes to the dark sides of the workers' State which we have helped to create, we shall never reach socialism.”

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Ignoring the negative aspects of a workers' state prevents achieving true socialism.

**In simple terms:** Blindness to flaws blocks progress.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge and address flaws.

Themes

socialism self‑criticism political awareness revolution truth

Mood

analytical urgent

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- policy making
- union organizing
- educational workshops

Key Concepts

dialectics political theory ethical responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- What dark sides are you overlooking?
- How can critique be constructive?

A Different Perspective

Denial may lead to complacency rather than reform.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-side/) [Socialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialism/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/)

## Related quotes

> [I like the opportunity to play characters who have these dark sides but make the audience empathize with them. You want them to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-mcmahon/i-like-the-opportunity-to-play-characters-who-have-these-dark-sides/)

[Julian McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-mcmahon/)

> [Human beings, we have dark sides; we have dark issues in our lives. To progress anywhere in life, you have to face your demons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-noble/human-beings-we-have-dark-sides-we-have-dark-issues-in-our-lives-to/)

[John Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-noble/)

> [As we know, one of the dark sides of social media is online harassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/as-we-know-one-of-the-dark-sides-of-social-media-is-online-harassment/)

[Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/)

> [We are not consistent. We have both these dark sides and some light as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/we-are-not-consistent-we-have-both-these-dark-sides-and-some-light-as/)

[Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/)

> [Photography has no dark sides!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-sander/photography-has-no-dark-sides/)

[August Sander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-sander/)

> [There's certainly a side of me that isn't completely... sane. Or completely 'even' all the time. We all have our dark sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/there-s-certainly-a-side-of-me-that-isn-t-completely-sane-or/)

[Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/)

> [“Cats don’t have dark sides. That’s all a shadow is—and though you might be prejudiced against the dark, you ought to remember that that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/cats-don-t-have-dark-sides-that-s-all-a-shadow-is-and-though-you/)

[Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/)

> [Any reasonable economist will tell you that it's nearly impossible to isolate the impact of right-to-work laws on a state's job growth. A multitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-spitzer/any-reasonable-economist-will-tell-you-that-it-s-nearly-impossible-to/)

[Eliot Spitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-spitzer/)

> [Smartness, a good appearance, courtesy, delicacy are not yet norms, are not yet an integral part of the approach of workers in the state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samora-machel/smartness-a-good-appearance-courtesy-delicacy-are-not-yet-norms-are/)

[Samora Machel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samora-machel/)

> [All the great artists had their dark sides. Look at Amy Winehouse or anyone who has achieved a certain level of success. Even Adele,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-graham/all-the-great-artists-had-their-dark-sides-look-at-amy-winehouse-or/)

[Kat Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-graham/)

> [We're all moons. Sometimes our dark sides overshadow our light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/we-re-all-moons-sometimes-our-dark-sides-overshadow-our-light/)

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

> [Dark sides are important. They should be nurtured like nasty black orchids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/dark-sides-are-important-they-should-be-nurtured-like-nasty-black/)

[Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/)

> [We all have dark sides to ourselves, and I want to portray that in a realistic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-weston-jones/we-all-have-dark-sides-to-ourselves-and-i-want-to-portray-that-in-a/)

[Tom Weston-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-weston-jones/)

> [Even good characters have their dark sides, and I think it is important that women aren't seen as innately good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/even-good-characters-have-their-dark-sides-and-i-think-it-is/)

[Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/)

> [“As a battle cry against feudalism, the demand for democracy had a progressive character. As time went on, however, the metaphysics of natural law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/as-a-battle-cry-against-feudalism-the-demand-for-democracy-had-a/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

## More by Leon Trotsky

> [The dialectic is neither fiction nor mysticism, but a science of the forms of our thinking insofar as it is not limited to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/the-dialectic-is-neither-fiction-nor-mysticism-but-a-science-of-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [ \[Joseph\] Stalin closes the exposition of these \[Leon Trotsky\] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of \[Vladimir\] Lenin's conception… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-these-leon-trotsky-ideas-with/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [The creative union of the conscious with the unconscious is what one usually calls 'inspiration.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/the-creative-union-of-the-conscious-with-the-unconscious-is-what-one/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [Religions are illogical primitive ignorance. There is nothing as ridiculous and tragic as a religious government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/religions-are-illogical-primitive-ignorance-there-is-nothing-as/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [“As a battle cry against feudalism, the demand for democracy had a progressive character. As time went on, however, the metaphysics of natural law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/as-a-battle-cry-against-feudalism-the-demand-for-democracy-had-a/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [All the parties of capitalist society, all its moralists and all its sycophants will perish beneath the debris of the impending catastrophe. The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/all-the-parties-of-capitalist-society-all-its-moralists-and-all-its/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [What shall we call an "immediate possibility"? In 1923 the situation in Germany was profoundly revolutionary, but what was lacking for a victorious revolution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/what-shall-we-call-an-immediate-possibility-in-1923-the-situation-in/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [The history of a revolution is for us first of all a history of the forcible entrance of the masses into the realm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/the-history-of-a-revolution-is-for-us-first-of-all-a-history-of-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [I wrote a study about this question, The Lessons of October, which served as a pretext for my elimination from the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/i-wrote-a-study-about-this-question-the-lessons-of-october-which/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [A program of "disarmament," while imperialist antagonisms survive, is the most pernicious of fictions. Even if it were realized by way of general agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/a-program-of-disarmament-while-imperialist-antagonisms-survive-is-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [ In Stalin each \[Soviet bureaucrat\] easily finds himself. But Stalin also finds in each one a small part of his own spirit. Stalin is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/in-stalin-each-soviet-bureaucrat-easily-finds-himself-but-stalin-also/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [As long as I breathe I hope. As long as I breathe I shall fight for the future, that radiant future, in which man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/as-long-as-i-breathe-i-hope-as-long-as-i-breathe-i-shall-fight-for/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [If we had had more time for discussion we should probably have made a great many more mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/if-we-had-had-more-time-for-discussion-we-should-probably-have-made-a/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [Is it possible to fulfill this task, is it possible to achieve the definite victory of Socialism in one country without the combined efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/is-it-possible-to-fulfill-this-task-is-it-possible-to-achieve-the/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

> [The motive force of history is truth and not lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/the-motive-force-of-history-is-truth-and-not-lies/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

[Explore all 161 Leon Trotsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

## More Capitalism quotes

> [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/)

[Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/)

> [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [Corporations have nothing to do with values, and they know it, and sometimes say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kierans/corporations-have-nothing-to-do-with-values-and-they-know-it-and/)

[Eric Kierans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kierans/)

> [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/)

F. A. Harper

> [The free market is ugly and stupid, like going to the mall; the unfree market is just as ugly and just as stupid, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-free-market-is-ugly-and-stupid-like-going-to-the-mall-the-unfree/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Capitalism, communism ... it's all garbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mstislav-rostropovich/capitalism-communism-it-s-all-garbage/)

[Mstislav Rostropovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mstislav-rostropovich/)

> [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/)

[Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/)

> [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/)

[Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/)

> [Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/historically-usury-was-defined-as-any-interest-whatever-on-an/)

[John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/)

> [Socialism is humanity's second nature. All politicians do is turn human vice into votes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/socialism-is-humanity-s-second-nature-all-politicians-do-is-turn/)

[Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/)

> [“Scholars have long debated whether capital markets lead to appropriate levels of saving and investment for future generations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-weimer/scholars-have-long-debated-whether-capital-markets-lead-to/)

David L. Weimer

> [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

[Browse all 3,832 Capitalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If we close our eyes to the dark sides of the workers' State which we have helped to create, we shall never reach socialism.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Leon Trotsky"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-of-the-workers-state-which-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Capitalism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-of-the-workers-state-which-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/leon-trotsky-2558_dark_if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-o_1394323.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/leon-trotsky-2558_dark_if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-o_1394323.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7d/leon-trotsky-2558_dark_if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-o_1394323.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If we close our eyes to the dark sides of the workers' State which we have helped to create, we shall never…” — Leon Trotsky",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Leon Trotsky",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If we close our eyes to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-of-the-workers-state-which-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/if-we-close-our-eyes-to-the-dark-sides-of-the-workers-state-which-we/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
