isaac-deutscher-the-prophet-armed-trotsky-1879-1921

194 THE PROPHET ARMED
often than not this appeal is superficial. Their opponents who
win the cadres of a party for their more involved argument arc
likely eventually to obtain the hearing of the rank and file as
well; the cadres carry their argument, in simplified form,
deeper down. Trotsky's calls for the solidarity of all Socialists
were for the mon)tnt applauded by many-even the Bolsheviks
in Petersburg reprinted his Pravda. But the same people who
now applauded the call were eventually to disregard it, to
follow the one or the other faction, and to leave the preacher of
unity isolated. Apart from this, there was in Trotsky's popular
posture, in his emphasis on plain talk and his promise to 'serve
not to lead', more than a touch of demagogy, for the politician,
especially the revolutionary, best serves those who listen to him
by leading them.
More than anybody else Trotsky voiced the sentiment, still
widespread in the party, which may best be described as a
horror of final schism. In January 191 o the leaders of factions
met in Paris and for the last time tried to patch up their
differences. In both factions there were men determined to
bring matters to a head and to part company. But in both the
moderates prevailed for the moment. The conciliators who
carried the day among the Bolsheviks were Rykov, Sokolnikov,
Lozovsky, and Kamcnev. 1 On the other side, Trotsky exerted
himself for unity and kept in check Martov, who later admitted
that he gave way only because the Mensheviks were too weak
to risk an immediate break. 2 An agreement was reached; but,
even on the face of it, it was too good to be true. Both factions
consented to disband their separate organizations and to merge;
and both agreed to eliminate the 'extremists' from their midst,
the Mensheviks to expel their liquidators and the Bolsheviks
their boycotters. Both further agreed to suspend their separate
publications and to put their financial resources into a common
pool, to be placed under the trusteeship of three German
Socialists, Karl Kautsky, Franz Mehring, and Klara Zetkin.
Trotsky received all the tributes that on surh solemn occasions
arc paid to the successful matchmaker. The Central Committee
formally acknowledged the services his Pravda had rendered to
the whole party, 'regardless of faction', and it decided to place
' N. Popov, op. cit., vol. i, p.248.
• Martov, Spasiteli iii Upra:tdniteli, p. 16.