The 1965 election of Tariq Ali to the presidency of the Oxford Union marked the beginning of a decades-long career as a political activist and public intellectual. Born in 1943 in Lahore, his life reflects a transition from colonial-era Pakistan to his established role in British discourse as a writer, filmmaker, and historian.
Early Influences and Academic Formation
Raised in Lahore, Punjab, Ali was the son of journalist Mazhar Ali Khan and activist Tahira Mazhar Ali Khan. His maternal grandfather was Sir Sikandar Hyat Khan, a political figure in the Punjab region. After early political opposition to the military dictatorship in Pakistan drew concern from military intelligence, his parents arranged for his move to England. He enrolled at Exeter College, Oxford, to study Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, distancing himself from the career-oriented structures of traditional university clubs.
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Ali gained prominence during the Vietnam War, participating in debates against figures such as Henry Kissinger. His activism included roles in the New Left, the London-based newspaper The Black Dwarf, and the International Marxist Group, where he served on the International Executive Committee of the Fourth International. In 1968, he participated in demonstrations against the United States embassy in London. Throughout his career, he has contributed to publications such as the New Left Review, The Guardian, CounterPunch, and the London Review of Books.
Writing and Intellectual Contributions
His bibliography spans various subjects, including Pakistan: Military Rule or People's Power (1970) and Can Pakistan Survive? The Death of a State (1983). Later works focus on geopolitics, such as Clash of Fundamentalisms (2002), Bush in Babylon (2003), and The Obama Syndrome (2010). His 2015 book, The Extreme Centre: A Warning, examined political shifts, while he has also written fiction, including the 1990 satire Redemption. In 2020, he served as a member of the Belmarsh Tribunal to evaluate United States government actions.
Surveillance and Public Life
The extent of state interest in his activities became public in November 2020, when a British public inquiry revealed that at least 14 undercover police officers had monitored him over several decades, a process starting during his time as Oxford Union president. Beyond his writing, he has maintained an interest in film as a director and producer, and in 2012, he contributed to the Sight & Sound critics' poll.
Fast facts
- Born: 1943, Lahore
- Citizenship: United Kingdom, Pakistan
- Education: University of the Punjab, Exeter College
- Religion: Atheism
- Political Position: Member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh (2018)
- Languages: Urdu, English
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Tariq Ali study at Oxford?
He read Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Exeter College.
Has Tariq Ali held elected office?
Yes, he served as a Member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh in 2018.
Achievements
- Educated at Exeter College and University of the Punjab
- Worked as writer, journalist and historian
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