: Thats a good point, which i accept, but (there is always a but isn't there?) surely this shows that Trotskys theorys, as you interpret them (and has he laid them out) are unattainable.Trotskij's theories were probably attainable - in 1917's Russia. However, the world has changed since then, and attempting to use his formula for social improvements would be purely and simply idiotic. The same would however go for Mikhail Bakunin - the society he was against is not the same as the one we have today.
However, what we CAN use both Trotskij, Lenin and Marx for today are their philosophies and pure theories, the very bottom lines. Namely that capitalism leads to crises and the power must go to the people to avoid this. That capitalism represents an alienating and dehumanising idea and is morally wrong. And that capitalism destroys EVERYTHING in its wake, which we can see even more clearly today where the environment is being slaughtered in the name of economic growth. Bakunin and his anarchism works for the same end, but with very different means.
However, what is most important for socialists today, be they archists or anarchists, is to break free from socialist thinkers of yesterday and their -isms. It's a bad idea to try to change society of today with the ideas of yesterday.
One thing that has been nagging socialism - the working class is no longer the majority. Since traditional socialism is based on 'power to the workers', there is something that needs to be reworked there.
