Roy Medvedev facts for kids

Roy Aleksandrovich Medvedev (Russian: Рой Алекса́ндрович Медве́дев; born 14 November 1925) is a Russian politician and writer. He is known for his book Let History Judge. This book talks about the history of Stalinism from a different point of view. It was first published in English in 1972.

Roy Medvedev's Early Life and Activism

Roy Medvedev was born in Tbilisi, which was part of the Soviet Union at the time. He had an identical twin brother named Zhores Medvedev. Zhores was a biologist.

Roy Medvedev was a Marxist. However, he strongly disagreed with Joseph Stalin, a former leader of the Soviet Union. He also criticized Stalinism, which was Stalin's way of governing.

In the early 1960s, Medvedev started publishing his writings. These were called samizdat publications. They were unofficial writings copied and shared secretly. He also spoke out against Lysenkoism. This was a scientific idea that was not based on real science.

Speaking Out: His Book and Activism

Medvedev was removed from the Communist Party in 1969. This happened after his book Let History Judge was published outside the Soviet Union. The book criticized Stalin and his policies. At that time, the government was trying to make Stalin look good again.

Let History Judge showed the ideas of dissident thinkers. These were people who disagreed with the government. Many Soviet thinkers in the 1960s wanted to change socialism to make it better. Roy Medvedev was one of them.

In 1970, he joined Andrei Sakharov and others. They wrote an open letter to the Soviet leaders. This letter shared their views.

Roy and Zhores: A Question of Madness

Roy Medvedev also wrote a book with his twin brother, Zhores. It was called A Question of Madness. In this book, they described how Zhores was forced into a mental hospital. This was a way the government sometimes treated people who spoke out.

Zhores was a biologist and a dissident. He was questioned in the hospital about his secret writings. He was also asked about his book, The Rise and Fall of T.D. Lysenko. Later, in the 1970s, Zhores was sent away to Britain.

Return to Politics and Later Works

Roy Medvedev rejoined the Communist Party in 1989. This was after Mikhail Gorbachev started new programs. These programs were called perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness). They aimed to make gradual political and economic changes.

Medvedev was elected to the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union. This was a big meeting of elected representatives. He also became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. This was the main working body of the Congress.

After the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991, Medvedev helped start a new party. It was called the Socialist Party of Working People. He became one of its leaders. In 2008, Medvedev wrote a book about Vladimir Putin. In this book, he wrote positively about Putin's time as president.

Important Books by Roy Medvedev

Roy Medvedev has written many books. Here are some of his well-known works:

• Let History Judge: The Origin and Consequences of Stalinism (1972)
• On Socialist Democracy (1975)
• Khrushchev (1983)
• All Stalin's Men (1984)
• A Question Of Madness (1971) (with Zhores Medvedev)
• Khrushchev: The Years in Power (1976) (with Zhores Medvedev)
• The Unknown Stalin (2004) (with Zhores Medvedev)

See also

In Spanish: Roy Medvedev para niños