An ally has to be watched just like an enemy

An ally has to be watched just like an enemy

Leon Trotsky, a key figure in the Russian Revolution and a prominent leader in the early Soviet Union, understood the importance of vigilance when it came to allies. As a revolutionary and a Marxist theorist, Trotsky believed that alliances were necessary in order to achieve common goals, but he also recognized that alliances could be fragile and easily broken. In his view, an ally had to be watched just like an enemy, as both could potentially betray the cause if their interests diverged.

Trotsky's experience in the Bolshevik Party and the Soviet government taught him the importance of maintaining a critical eye on those who claimed to be allies. He witnessed firsthand how individuals who were once comrades could turn against each other in pursuit of power or personal gain. Trotsky himself was eventually expelled from the Communist Party and exiled from the Soviet Union by his former ally, Joseph Stalin, who saw Trotsky as a threat to his own authority.

For Trotsky, the lesson was clear: even those who claimed to be on the same side could not always be trusted. He believed that vigilance was necessary to prevent betrayal and to protect the revolution from internal threats. Trotsky's famous quote, "An ally has to be watched just like an enemy," encapsulates his belief that alliances were not to be taken for granted, but rather constantly monitored and evaluated.