Editing Leon Trotsky (section)

=== Split with Lenin (1903–1904) ===
In August 1903, ''Iskra'' convened the RSDLP's [[2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party|Second Congress]] in London. Trotsky attended with other ''Iskra'' editors. After defeating the "economist" delegates, the congress addressed the [[Jewish Bund|Bund's]] desire for autonomy within the party.<ref name=":3">Trotsky, Leon.&nbsp;''My life: an attempt at an autobiography''. Courier Corporation, 2007.</ref>

Subsequently, the pro-Iskra delegates unexpectedly split. The initial dispute was organisational: Lenin and his supporters (the Bolsheviks) advocated for a smaller, highly organized party of committed members, while Martov and his supporters (the [[Mensheviks]]) favoured a larger, less disciplined party that included sympathizers. Trotsky and most ''Iskra'' editors supported Martov, while Plekhanov backed Lenin. During 1903–1904, allegiances shifted; Trotsky left the Mensheviks in September 1904, disagreeing with their insistence on an alliance with Russian liberals and their opposition to reconciliation with Lenin and the Bolsheviks.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cavendish|first=Richard|year=2003|title=The Bolshevik–Menshevik Split|url=http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/bolshevik-menshevik-split|journal=History Today|volume=53|number=11|access-date=22 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022175007/http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/bolshevik-menshevik-split|archive-date=22 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

From 1904 to 1917, Trotsky described himself as a "non-factional social democrat". He attempted to reconcile party factions, leading to clashes with Lenin and others. Trotsky later admitted he was wrong to oppose Lenin on party organization. During this period, he developed his theory of [[permanent revolution]] and worked closely with [[Alexander Parvus]] (1904–1907).<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8497.1975.tb01151.x|title=Parvus, Luxemburg and Kautsky on the 1905 Russian Revolution: The Relationship with Trotsky|last=Weber|first=Nicholas|date=1975|journal=Australian Journal of Politics and History|volume=21 |issue=3 |pages=39–53 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-8497.1975.tb01151.x  |issn=0004-9522}}</ref> During their split, Lenin referred to Trotsky as "Judas" (''Iudushka'', after a character in [[Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin]]'s novel ''[[The Golovlyov Family]]''),<ref>[http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1911/jan/02.htm Lenin: "Judas Trotsky's Blush of Shame"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703011452/http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1911/jan/02.htm |date=3 July 2013}}, Marxists Internet Archive; retrieved 26 July 2013.</ref><ref>Goryachkina, [http://feb-web.ru/feb/irl/il0/il9/il9-159-.htm?cmd=2 М.S. М.Е.Saltykov-Shchedrin]. The Selected Works. Critical and biographical essay. Khudozhestvennaya Literatura Publishers. Moscow. 1954. Pp. 5–24.</ref> a "scoundrel",<ref>[http://www.marxists.org/history/international/comintern/sections/britain/periodicals/communist_review/1950/01/x01.htm CPGB: Stalin: "Slander and Truth"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625022442/http://www.marxists.org/history/international/comintern/sections/britain/periodicals/communist_review/1950/01/x01.htm |date=25 June 2013}}, Marxists Internet Archive; retrieved 26 July 2013.</ref> and a "swine".<ref>[http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/feb/17ak.htm Lenin: 123. To Alexandra Kollontai] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110225222/http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/feb/17ak.htm |date=10 January 2013}}, Marxists Internet Archive, (9 June 2006); retrieved 26 July 2013.</ref>