Ash heap of history

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The expression ash heap of history (or often dustbin of history) was coined by Leon Trotsky in response to the Mensheviks walking out of the Second Congress of Soviets, on October 25, 1917, thereby enabling the Bolsheviks to establish their dominance. Trotsky declared: "Go out where you belong—into the ash heap of history."[1]

It has since been used in both the direct and the ironic sense in political and nonpolitical contexts.

Later, it was most notably used by Ronald Reagan in a speech to the British House of Commons on June 8th, 1982. This speech, later known simply as "The Evil Empire" is a lasting hallmark of the Reagan presidency. Reagan's speechwriter chose the expression deliberately because of its prior context. His exact phrase was: "... freedom and democracy will leave Marxism and Leninism on the ash heap of history." [2]

[edit] References

  • Deutscher, Isaac (2003). The Prophet Armed: Trotsky 1879-1921. Verso; New Ed edition. ISBN 1859844413. 
  1. ^ Salisbury, Harrison (30 June 1985). A Reagan Antecedent In Revolution. letter to the editor, New York Times. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
  2. ^ Pipes, Richard (June 3, 2002). Ash Heap of History: President Reagan’s Westminster Address 20 Years Later. Ronald Reagan: The Heritage Foundation Remembers. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.