"Let a man find himself, in distinction from others, on top of two wheels with a chain - at least in a poor country like Russia - and his vanity begins to swell out like his tires. In America it takes an automobile to produce this effect"

In this quote, Leon Trotsky is highlighting the impact of material belongings on one's sense of self. He recommends that in a poor nation like Russia, where owning a bicycle is a high-end, a man's ego can be pumped up by the basic act of riding on 2 wheels with a chain. This is since it sets him apart from others and offers him a sense of superiority. Nevertheless, in America, where owning a vehicle is more typical, it takes a more elegant ownership like an auto to accomplish the exact same effect. Trotsky is discussing the superficial nature of human vanity and how it can be quickly influenced by external elements.