Bozorg Alavi was one of the prominent socialist writers of the twentieth century and a member of the famous group known as the Fifty-Three, a circle of intellectuals imprisoned for their political beliefs. During his incarceration, he wrote important works such as The Struggle of Fifty-Three and Prison Scraps, reflecting both personal experience and collectivist convictions. There is little doubt that Alavi’s worldview was deeply shaped by socialist and collectivist ideals.
Alongside Taghi Arani and Iraj Eskandari, he founded the magazine Dunya, which became an influential platform for spreading leftist thought and modern political analysis. For a period, he also served on the board of the Iran–Soviet Cultural Relations Association and worked as editor-in-chief of Payam-e-No, further strengthening his role in intellectual circles.
Following the failed assassination attempt on Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1948, Alavi was arrested along with other members of the Tudeh Party. After his release, he continued his literary and scholarly work. However, after the coup of 19 Mordad, he withdrew from political life and settled in Berlin, where he devoted himself to writing until his death in 1996 from a heart attack.
