Tariq Ali focuses almost exclusively on Trotsky's political life, leaving hispersonal life and even his military career during the civil war as nomore than an afterthought. The aim of this political biography is toshow that, for the most part, Trotsky and Lenin had similar theories ofrevolution, differing occasionally but generally converging in the end.Trotsky was politically aggressive, meaning he believed that therevolutionary struggle must be pushed aggressively forward, and thatcompromise with the bourgeoisie, whether revolutionary or reformist,must be avoided whenever possible, in favor of working class revolution.He also believed in the necessity of democratic action: open andunconstrained debate prior to making decisions, combined with partydiscipline in carrying out the agreed plan. In this, he and Lenin wereof the same mind, until the necessities of war made democratic practiceuntenable. In the aftermath, though, Trotsky believed that democracy was essential, but by then it was too late: Stalin had consolidated power, and democracy became merely a means of identifying enemies to be liquidated.