Leon Trotsky's theory of permanent revolution and its incorporation into Lenin's party platform in 1917

The idea of permanent revolution was first formulated by Leon Trotsky in 1905. It was based upon an interpretation of Russian history which he found incompatible with Marx's arbitrary historical stages feudalism, capitalism, socialism. Trotsky maintained that in Russia these distinct phases would be combined into a continuous revolutionary process culminating in socialism. Consequently Russian socialists would not have to wait until capitalism had been established before beginning the struggle for socialism. Vladimir Lenin incorporated the basic premises of this theory Into the Bolshevik party platform in 1917, and after the October revolution they were used to justify the immediate establishment of a dictatorship of the proletariat. The purpose of this paper is to trace the evolution of the theory of permanent revolution from its conception in 1905 to its incorporation into Lenin's philosophy in 1917. In the process I shall indicate the practical revolutionary experiences which in 1905 made Trotsky's ideas valid and which in 1917 made them necessary