Leopold Łabędź was an anti-communist journalist and one of the principal champions of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in the West. Following imprisonment in a Soviet gulag, he served in the Polish Army during WWII. He later settled in London, attending the London School of Economics and eventually serving as Editor of the journal Survey. Throughout his career, he actively campaigned for the Polish Solidarity union and for political prisoners within the Soviet Union.
Recognized for its cultural significance, this work contributes to the foundational knowledge of civilization. Scholars have highlighted its importance, emphasizing its role in understanding historical contexts and societal development.