Years of street fighting

Author: Tariq Ali

These days, I'm often asked by various people whether I have any regrets about the 1960s, and some even politely inquire whether I'd prefer to forget everything that happened and focus solely on the present. It's a question that always manages to pique my interest. Whether the questioners realize it or not, their inquiries aren't really about the past but about the future. My answer is: I have no regrets. Many mistakes were made by individuals (myself included) and groups, and there was a great deal of mysticism and idealistic fantasy during that period, but the overarching theme was a genuine belief in the need for a new world. My question is: how can one believe in anything other than that today?

Author

***

Tariq Ali is a British political writer, historian, screenwriter, novelist, and activist of Pakistani origin, born in Lahore in 1943. He studied at Oxford University and became president of its student union during the 1960s. He has written many political, historical, and literary books.

Tariq Ali is considered one of the most important living Trotskyist Marxist writers and activists, and despite his advanced age, he remains active through his articles and lectures, most of which focus on criticizing modern imperialism and the brutality of Western capitalism.