Let History Judge

work by Medvedev

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June 30, 2026

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Let History Judge is a significant work by Russian historian Roy Medvedev. Published in 1971, it is a comprehensive study of Stalinism, detailing its origins and consequences. Medvedev, a dissident historian, focused on Soviet politics and its leaders from the Russian Revolution onward. His work critically examines the period of Joseph Stalin's rule, characterized by terror and totalitarian control. Medvedev's analysis highlights the human cost of Stalinism, estimating that millions died due to labor camps, forced collectivization, famine, and executions. The book also explores Medvedev's own views on socialist democracy, advocating for reforms within the Soviet system.12

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Roy Medvedev
Books
Perhaps his most important book, Let History Judge (1971), is a comprehensive historical study of Stalinism, with particular attention paid to that movement’s origins and consequences. His books Khrushchev: The Years in Power (1976; written with Zhores), Khrushchev (1983), and Khrushchev: A Political Biography (1986) are landmark biographies of that
Read More
Perhaps his most important book, Let History Judge (1971), is a comprehensive historical study of Stalinism, with particular attention paid to that movement’s origins and consequences. His books Khrushchev: The Years in Power (1976; written with Zhores), Khrushchev (1983), and Khrushchev: A Political Biography (1986) are landmark biographies of that
Read More