Stalin - a bit of the gangster in every serious revolutionary ?

[ "People say I 'idolize' Stalin. Not true, I hold a fair and balanced view. The man was neither savior nor saint, but he was, at once, a very successful revolutionary, a great contributor to Marxist theory, and said to be a great listener and collaborator during discussions " ] The Old Left debate between Stalinism and Trotskyism is still relevant today. It is necessary for the LEFT here to refrain from Stalinist terror and let all SOCIALIST voices speak. Leon Trotsky wrote a biography of Stalin , his arch-foe and finally his assassin . Trotsky certainly recognized the hard-as-steel- Bolshevik in the young Stalin. Early in his revolutionary career Stalin was implicated in " bank robberies in the Tiflis area ". The money went to the party. Later on in power Stalin was content with " socialism in one country ". Trotsky was always the flaming socialist internationalist. Probably there has to be a bit of a " gangster " in every serious anti-capitalist revolutionary. Recall that Trotsky wrote : " Their Morals and Ours ".] #FoxNews Professor praises Stalin as 'one of the great leaders' of the 20th century FOXNEWS.COM Professor praises Stalin as 'one of the great leaders' of the 20th century