--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Algeria was therefore only the beginning…" description: "\"Algeria was therefore only the beginning of something that was in development: this is why I say that it's the global capitalist system that finally re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/ahmed-ben-bella-20385_algeria_algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning_876816.jpg" --- # Algeria was therefore only the beginning of something that… ![“Algeria was therefore only the beginning of something that was in development: this is why I say that it's the global capitalist system that finally reacted against us.” quote by Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/ahmed-ben-bella-20385_algeria_algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning_876816.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/ahmed-ben-bella-20385_algeria_algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning_876816.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/ahmed-ben-bella-20385_algeria_algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning_876816.jpg) > “Algeria was therefore only the beginning of something that was in development: this is why I say that it's the global capitalist system that finally reacted against us.” [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The global capitalist system ultimately opposed Algeria, indicating that broader economic forces shape political outcomes. **In simple terms:** Capitalism opposed Algeria's development. Key Takeaway Recognize systemic influences. Themes politics economics colonialism Mood analytical critical Type historical political When to use this quote - policy analysis - historical study - activism - education Key Concepts global capitalism national sovereignty Questions to Reflect On - How do economic systems affect national movements? - What alternatives could counter such oppression? A Different Perspective Complex causes exist beyond capitalism alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Algeria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/algeria/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) ## Related quotes > [Nobody planned the global capitalist system, nobody runs it, and nobody really comprehends it. This particularly offends intellectuals, for capitalism renders them redundant. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-saunders/nobody-planned-the-global-capitalist-system-nobody-runs-it-and-nobody/) Peter Saunders > [The global capitalist project, which we are all a part of, leaves people behind. I don't know what the answers are - I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-gleeson/the-global-capitalist-project-which-we-are-all-a-part-of-leaves/) [Brian Gleeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-gleeson/) > [The French colonisation of Algeria lasted a long time: 132 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/the-french-colonisation-of-algeria-lasted-a-long-time-132-years/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [Algeria is not breaking up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/algeria-is-not-breaking-up/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [The liberation movement which I led in Algeria, the organization that I created to fight the French army, was at first a small movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/the-liberation-movement-which-i-led-in-algeria-the-organization-that/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [Yes, I am Algerian of Moroccan origin through my parents, but all my life is Algeria. I was born there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/yes-i-am-algerian-of-moroccan-origin-through-my-parents-but-all-my/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I am the son of poor peasants who came at a very young age to live in Algeria. I only recently saw the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-am-the-son-of-poor-peasants-who-came-at-a-very-young-age-to-live-in/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I can say now: all the combatants who participated in the fight for freedom in South America came to Algeria; it's from there that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-can-say-now-all-the-combatants-who-participated-in-the-fight-for/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [... in a capitalist society a man is expected to be an aggressive, uncompromising, factual, lusty, intelligent provider of goods,and the woman, a retiring,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-cade-bambara/in-a-capitalist-society-a-man-is-expected-to-be-an-aggressive/) [Toni Cade Bambara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-cade-bambara/) > [It's really interesting that we've had this great Tea Party movement that is all about restoring free market capitalist values, but what they completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/it-s-really-interesting-that-we-ve-had-this-great-tea-party-movement/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [... what we should be looking for is fresh ideas of how we make moral decisions about our dealings with one another, economic, social,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-mccaughey/what-we-should-be-looking-for-is-fresh-ideas-of-how-we-make-moral/) Davis McCaughey > [Capitalism has created a situation called scarcity. And that scarcity is not natural, it's socially induced. Along with that sense of scarcity, or feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/capitalism-has-created-a-situation-called-scarcity-and-that-scarcity/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [For me, it is clear that we are currently in a period of structural crisis of capitalism going back to the 1970s, but deepening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bellamy-foster/for-me-it-is-clear-that-we-are-currently-in-a-period-of-structural/) [John Bellamy Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bellamy-foster/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) ## More by Ahmed Ben Bella > [It's with them that we have constituted a liberation front and brought our logistic support to armies to help their countries come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-s-with-them-that-we-have-constituted-a-liberation-front-and/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I think that they participated in something that was not very proper and was very pitiful, not only for the Algerian people, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-think-that-they-participated-in-something-that-was-not-very-proper/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I spent 24 and a half years in prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-spent-24-and-a-half-years-in-prison/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I'm optimistic because I'm pragmatic: Neither of the two sides, the military government nor the Islamic front, is capable of winning. If they continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-m-optimistic-because-i-m-pragmatic-neither-of-the-two-sides-the/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I can say now: all the combatants who participated in the fight for freedom in South America came to Algeria; it's from there that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-can-say-now-all-the-combatants-who-participated-in-the-fight-for/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I am the son of poor peasants who came at a very young age to live in Algeria. I only recently saw the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-am-the-son-of-poor-peasants-who-came-at-a-very-young-age-to-live-in/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I am not a Marxist, but I place myself resolutely at the left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-am-not-a-marxist-but-i-place-myself-resolutely-at-the-left/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [Colonialism is an idea born in the West that drives Western countries - like France, Italy, Belgium, Great Britain - to occupy countries outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/colonialism-is-an-idea-born-in-the-west-that-drives-western-countries/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I am a Muslim Arab, in my actions oriented very to the left, in my convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-am-a-muslim-arab-in-my-actions-oriented-very-to-the-left-in-my/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [Yes, my life is a life of combat; I can say that this has never stopped for a single instant. It is a combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/yes-my-life-is-a-life-of-combat-i-can-say-that-this-has-never-stopped/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [Yes, I am Algerian of Moroccan origin through my parents, but all my life is Algeria. I was born there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/yes-i-am-algerian-of-moroccan-origin-through-my-parents-but-all-my/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [In the past, we spoke of poverty, misery only in the south. Now there is a lot of misery, a lot of bad that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/in-the-past-we-spoke-of-poverty-misery-only-in-the-south-now-there-is/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [Colonialism is known in its primitive form, that is to say, by the permanent settling of repressive foreign powers, with an army, services, policies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/colonialism-is-known-in-its-primitive-form-that-is-to-say-by-the/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [The liberation movement which I led in Algeria, the organization that I created to fight the French army, was at first a small movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/the-liberation-movement-which-i-led-in-algeria-the-organization-that/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [With my government, we engaged in bringing our help to fights for national freedom. At that precise moment, several countries were still colonised or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/with-my-government-we-engaged-in-bringing-our-help-to-fights-for/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) [Explore all 31 Ahmed Ben Bella quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) ## More Algeria quotes > [Anyone who follows the Middle East and Islamic world in general can't deny it is often a very violent place, that a band of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/anyone-who-follows-the-middle-east-and-islamic-world-in-general-can-t/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Algeria is what allowed me to accept myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bourdieu/algeria-is-what-allowed-me-to-accept-myself/) [Pierre Bourdieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bourdieu/) > [I have seen children shot in El Salvador, Algeria, Guatemala, Sarajevo, but I have never before watched soldiers entice children like mice into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/i-have-seen-children-shot-in-el-salvador-algeria-guatemala-sarajevo/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [Women in the Arab world have a rich history in their active participation in political change from the Algeria revolution against the French occupation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zainab-salbi/women-in-the-arab-world-have-a-rich-history-in-their-active/) [Zainab Salbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zainab-salbi/) > [In a general way, if one cannot attribute to the Jew the whole responsibility of the situation, economic, political, and social, by which Algeria…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/in-a-general-way-if-one-cannot-attribute-to-the-jew-the-whole/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [I can say now: all the combatants who participated in the fight for freedom in South America came to Algeria; it's from there that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-can-say-now-all-the-combatants-who-participated-in-the-fight-for/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [I am the son of poor peasants who came at a very young age to live in Algeria. I only recently saw the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/i-am-the-son-of-poor-peasants-who-came-at-a-very-young-age-to-live-in/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [“You think about bathing in the sea – thick as velvet, supple and smooth as a wild animal. You think about swimming naked, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-think-about-bathing-in-the-sea-thick-as-velvet-supple-and-smooth/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Algeria, the second-largest country in Africa, has been dogged by terrorism. But while dangers remain, they are far outweighed by the hospitality of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-drinkwater/algeria-the-second-largest-country-in-africa-has-been-dogged-by/) [Carol Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-drinkwater/) > [“If Algeria introduced a resolution that the earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abba-eban/if-algeria-introduced-a-resolution-that-the-earth-was-flat-and-that/) [Abba Eban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abba-eban/) > [What is the Obama Doctrine? It seems to be one of disengagement, to try to ignore the hot, religious, dry, poor countries from Algeria…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/what-is-the-obama-doctrine-it-seems-to-be-one-of-disengagement-to-try/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [ \[Albert\] Camus' was born in Algeria of French nationality, and was assimilated into the French colony, although the French colonists rejected him absolutely because… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-was-born-in-algeria-of-french-nationality-and-was/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [In the 1990s, Islamists in Algeria won elections like the Brotherhood did in Egypt. The Algerian military refused to allow the Islamists to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/in-the-1990s-islamists-in-algeria-won-elections-like-the-brotherhood/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [In Algeria, I had begun to get into literature and philosophy. I dreamed of writing-and already models were instructing the dream, a certain language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-derrida/in-algeria-i-had-begun-to-get-into-literature-and-philosophy-i/) [Jacques Derrida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-derrida/) > [ \[Albert Camus\] really did know Algeria. He was an exile from his country, but still living in its language. Solitaire et solidaire. It's not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-really-did-know-algeria-he-was-an-exile-from-his-country/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) [Browse all 45 Algeria quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/algeria/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Algeria was therefore only the beginning of something that was in development: this is why I say that it's the global capitalist system that finally reacted against us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ahmed Ben Bella" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning-of-something-that-was-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Algeria" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning-of-something-that-was-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/ahmed-ben-bella-20385_algeria_algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning_876816.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/ahmed-ben-bella-20385_algeria_algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning_876816.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/ahmed-ben-bella-20385_algeria_algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning_876816.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Algeria was therefore only the beginning of something that was in development: this is why I say that it's…” — Ahmed Ben Bella", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ahmed Ben Bella", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Algeria was therefore only the beginning...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning-of-something-that-was-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/algeria-was-therefore-only-the-beginning-of-something-that-was-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```