# Poet Turned President: Václav Havel **URL:** **By** Paul Meany **Published:** September 9, 2021 --- Former dissident turned statesman Václav Havel remains one of the most insightful critics of totalitarianism. ## Summary: Intellectual, poet, and playwright Václav Havel began life on the fringes of Communist Czechoslovakia. Alongside fellow dissidents, Václav played a vital role in the Velvet Revolution, peacefully toppling the communist state and becoming the first president of the newly founded country. Today he is remembered for his moral integrity and biting critique of the spiritual oppression inherent in the communist system.