The historic ascent of humanity, taken as a whole, may be

Hear the fiery words of Leon Trotsky, who proclaimed: “The historic ascent of humanity, taken as a whole, may be summarized as a succession of victories of consciousness over blind forces – in nature, in society, in man himself.” This is no idle reflection, but the distillation of history’s long and arduous path. He declares that what lifts humankind above chaos and darkness is not chance, nor brute instinct, but the awakening of consciousness—that inner light which gives direction, understanding, and mastery. Every step forward, every triumph of civilization, has been won by the mind and spirit overcoming the blind forces that threaten to enslave us.

The origin of this thought lies in Trotsky’s revolutionary vision, shaped by his role in the upheavals of the early 20th century. He lived in a world of violent change, of collapsing empires and rising movements. To him, history was not a random march, but a struggle between awareness and blindness, between deliberate human striving and the chaotic forces of oppression, ignorance, and instinct. His words crystallize the belief that progress is born not of submission to fate, but of active confrontation—of human beings seizing control over forces that once seemed insurmountable.

The ancients knew this battle well. Consider Prometheus, who defied the gods to bring fire to mankind. Fire was once a blind and destructive force of nature, but through consciousness it became a tool, a servant of progress. From this mastery flowed warmth, industry, and culture itself. Prometheus embodies the eternal truth Trotsky proclaimed: that humanity’s greatness arises when knowledge subdues the untamed, when wisdom transforms peril into possibility.

History too bears witness. When the Black Death ravaged Europe, it seemed a blind force of nature, unstoppable and merciless. Millions perished, and fear ruled. Yet in the centuries that followed, through observation, science, and the awakening of medicine, humanity learned to fight disease not with superstition, but with knowledge. Vaccines, sanitation, and science itself became triumphs of consciousness over nature, victories that preserved generations. Here we see Trotsky’s vision alive: progress is not a gift, but a conquest of mind over darkness.

Yet Trotsky’s wisdom goes deeper still: the battle is not only against the blind forces of nature, but against those in society and even within man himself. Tyranny, exploitation, and war are not acts of fate, but of human blindness—greed, hatred, ignorance given free reign. Every movement for justice, from the abolition of slavery to the fight for civil rights, has been a victory of consciousness over these forces, where truth illuminated what cruelty sought to obscure. And within each soul, the struggle is the same: to master fear, desire, and rage with reason, discipline, and compassion.

The meaning of this quote is thus both heroic and humbling. It tells us that the ascent of humanity is no accident, but a succession of battles won in mind and spirit. It tells us that the story of civilization is the story of awakening, of reason rising above chaos, of light piercing darkness. And it warns us that the battle is unending: for blind forces still rage, within nature, in society, and in the hearts of men. Only vigilance of consciousness can keep them from dragging us back into shadow.

Therefore, children of the future, inscribe this teaching upon your hearts: consciousness is your weapon, vigilance your shield. Do not yield to blind instinct, to fear, to ignorance. Study, question, reflect, and act with wisdom. Seek always to elevate the mind above the chaos of brute force, the heart above the cruelty of hatred, the society above the blindness of oppression. For the ascent of humanity is not finished—it depends on you. And if you, too, win victories of consciousness, then the great climb shall continue, and mankind shall rise ever higher toward its destiny.