--- title: "144 Tariq Ali Quotes - Famous Researcher" description: "Tariq Ali quotes on imperialism, EU dominance, and democratic decline." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b159/author-tariq-ali-2958.jpg" --- ![Portrait of Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b159/author-tariq-ali-2958.jpg) # Tariq Ali (1943) Researcher United Kingdom **144** quotes in **738** categories A country that is invaded and attacked needs a voice to defend its right to resist, says Tariq Ali. He criticizes American imperialism, the European Union's German‑driven dominance, and the decline of democracy in the West. He also links these issues to US hegemony in Europe. Rate this collection: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet Tariq Ali is a researcher from the United Kingdom, best known for *Street Fighting Years ; An Autobiography of the Sixties*. ## Quick Facts About Tariq Ali Born October 21, 1943 Nationality United Kingdom Profession Researcher Notable works Street Fighting Years ; An Autobiography of the Sixties ## About Tariq Ali He serves on the editorial committees of the New Left Review and Sin Permiso, and contributes articles to CounterPunch and the London Review of Books. He also studies Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Exeter College, Oxford. ## Awards & Honors Q130553019 ## Quotes by Tariq Ali > [Basically, we are witnessing the twilight of democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/basically-we-are-witnessing-the-twilight-of-democracy/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a1/tariq-ali-2958_democracy_basically-we-are-witnessing-the-twilight_200395.png) > [Tony Blair is a war criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/tony-blair-is-a-war-criminal/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blair/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/388/tariq-ali-2958_blair_tony-blair-is-a-war-criminal-904125_904125.png) > [Power can shape 'truth,' but not forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/power-can-shape-truth-but-not-forever/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc3/tariq-ali-2958_forever_power-can-shape-truth-but-not-forever-93_935840.png) > [Revolutionaries are not infallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/revolutionaries-are-not-infallible/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Infallible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infallible/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/tariq-ali-2958_infallible_revolutionaries-are-not-infallible-60764_607646.png) > [Desperation is the result of globalization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/desperation-is-the-result-of-globalization/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Desperation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperation/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/tariq-ali-2958_desperation_desperation-is-the-result-of-globalizati_879304.png) > [“ Ben-Gurion and Moshe Dayan were self-proclaimed atheists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/ben-gurion-and-moshe-dayan-were-self-proclaimed-atheists/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18d/tariq-ali-2958_atheism_ben-gurion-and-moshe-dayan-were-self-pro_3085753.png) > [It's a total failure of the Western imagination that the only enemy they can see is Adolph Hitler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/it-s-a-total-failure-of-the-western-imagination-that-the-only-enemy/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Adolph hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolph-hitler/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4a/tariq-ali-2958_adolph-hitler_it-s-a-total-failure-of-the-western-imag_2325301.png) > [I am, in general, favourable to activism and social movements and hostile to graft and corruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/i-am-in-general-favourable-to-activism-and-social-movements-and/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/tariq-ali-2958_activism_i-am-in-general-favourable-to-activism-a_2580451.png) > [There are different versions of Islam... it is meaningless to claim to speak in the name of a ‘real’ Islam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/there-are-different-versions-of-islam-it-is-meaningless-to-claim-to/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/tariq-ali-2958_claims_there-are-different-versions-of-islam-it_1565457.png) > [In some ways, the '60s were a reaction to the '50s and the intensity of the Cold War.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/in-some-ways-the-60s-were-a-reaction-to-the-50s-and-the-intensity-of/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/172/tariq-ali-2958_cold_in-some-ways-the-60s-were-a-reaction-to_1517592.png) > [Even if you reject everything, it is always better to know what it is you are rejecting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/even-if-you-reject-everything-it-is-always-better-to-know-what-it-is/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad4/tariq-ali-2958_funny_even-if-you-reject-everything-it-is-alwa_762555.png) > [After flirting with neoisolationism, the U.S. is now deciding it wants to run the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/after-flirting-with-neoisolationism-the-u-s-is-now-deciding-it-wants/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a00/tariq-ali-2958_america_after-flirting-with-neoisolationism-the_1248094.png) > [We were constantly appealing for funds from readers when I edited 'The Black Dwarf' in 1968-69.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/we-were-constantly-appealing-for-funds-from-readers-when-i-edited-the/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f9/tariq-ali-2958_black_we-were-constantly-appealing-for-funds-f_335494.png) > [The U.S. should come out openly and say to the world, "We are the only imperial power, and we're going to rule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-u-s-should-come-out-openly-and-say-to-the-world-we-are-the-only/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a1/tariq-ali-2958_ifs_the-u-s-should-come-out-openly-and-say-t_2053223.jpg) > [Effectively, the EU is a very powerful bureaucracy, dominated now by the German elite, which is backed by the rest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/effectively-the-eu-is-a-very-powerful-bureaucracy-dominated-now-by/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Bureaucracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bureaucracy/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/440/tariq-ali-2958_bureaucracy_effectively-the-eu-is-a-very-powerful-bu_1344605.jpg) > [People are increasingly beginning to feel that democracy itself is being destroyed by this latest phase of globalization and that politics doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/people-are-increasingly-beginning-to-feel-that-democracy-itself-is/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/tariq-ali-2958_democracy_people-are-increasingly-beginning-to-fee_1096616.png) > [In times of crisis, the incumbent suffers. And the bigger the crisis, the greater the punishment inflicted on those in power unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/in-times-of-crisis-the-incumbent-suffers-and-the-bigger-the-crisis/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/tariq-ali-2958_change_in-times-of-crisis-the-incumbent-suffers_1116230.png) > [The only continent where social movements have led to political parties that have pushed through serious social and political reforms is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-only-continent-where-social-movements-have-led-to-political/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/342/tariq-ali-2958_america_the-only-continent-where-social-movement_2123112.png) > [The function of a bourgeois democracy is to secure the consent of the masses to their own exploitation and oppression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-function-of-a-bourgeois-democracy-is-to-secure-the-consent-of-the/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Bourgeois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bourgeois/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/tariq-ali-2958_bourgeois_the-function-of-a-bourgeois-democracy-is_1628495.png) > [Young women and men who joined the far-left groups did so for the best of reasons. They wanted to change the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/young-women-and-men-who-joined-the-far-left-groups-did-so-for-the/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/tariq-ali-2958_best_young-women-and-men-who-joined-the-far-l_539954.png) > [The sobbing of the weak today is the sobbing of the victims of neoliberal policies. They consist of billions of people all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-sobbing-of-the-weak-today-is-the-sobbing-of-the-victims-of/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Billions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billions/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/tariq-ali-2958_billions_the-sobbing-of-the-weak-today-is-the-sob_2761529.png) > [When I arrived to study at Oxford in October 1963, the bohemian style was black plastic or leather jackets for women and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/when-i-arrived-to-study-at-oxford-in-october-1963-the-bohemian-style/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Bohemian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bohemian/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/tariq-ali-2958_bohemian_when-i-arrived-to-study-at-oxford-in-oct_642579.png) > [The European Union is effectively a union dominated by the German political and economic elite. Its main function is to serve as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-european-union-is-effectively-a-union-dominated-by-the-german/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/tariq-ali-2958_capitalism_the-european-union-is-effectively-a-unio_115315.jpg) > [The EU is an alliance that the Americans control, in which the EU of course has a great deal of autonomy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-eu-is-an-alliance-that-the-americans-control-in-which-the-eu-of/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Alliances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alliances/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/468/tariq-ali-2958_alliances_the-eu-is-an-alliance-that-the-americans_386553.png) > [If there is a Greek exit from the Eurozone, I think the German elite will be quite pleased that they can then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/if-there-is-a-greek-exit-from-the-eurozone-i-think-the-german-elite/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/tariq-ali-2958_country_if-there-is-a-greek-exit-from-the-eurozo_2702233.png) > [The U.S. is telling the Northern Alliance to kill Taliban prisoners. It's totally a breach of all the known conventions of war.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-u-s-is-telling-the-northern-alliance-to-kill-taliban-prisoners-it/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Alliances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alliances/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/tariq-ali-2958_alliances_the-u-s-is-telling-the-northern-alliance_1083082.png) > [ “\[ Taken from a BBC documentary \] Tariq was born in Lahore, now in Pakistan, then part of British-ruled India, in 1943.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/taken-from-a-bbc-documentary-tariq-was-born-in-lahore-now-in-pakistan/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/153/tariq-ali-2958_atheism_taken-from-a-bbc-documentary-tariq-was-b_1754697.png) > [The cinematic language and interior destiny of each Iranian film-maker is different. The international influences on them vary from Rossellini to Fellini,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-cinematic-language-and-interior-destiny-of-each-iranian-film/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/tariq-ali-2958_cinema_the-cinematic-language-and-interior-dest_1883690.jpg) > [To fight tyranny and oppression by using tyrannical and oppressive means, to combat a single-minded and ruthless fanaticism by becoming equally fanatical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/to-fight-tyranny-and-oppression-by-using-tyrannical-and-oppressive/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/tariq-ali-2958_becoming_to-fight-tyranny-and-oppression-by-using_1052845.png) > [Continuous wars - which we have now had since 2001 - starting with Afghanistan, continuing on to Iraq. And even since Iraq,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/continuous-wars-which-we-have-now-had-since-2001-starting-with/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Afghanistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afghanistan/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/tariq-ali-2958_afghanistan_continuous-wars-which-we-have-now-had-si_3151179.jpg) > [Tayyip Erdogan wants to go beyond George W. Bush by making critical journalism and critics in the academy illegal. What will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/tayyip-erdogan-wants-to-go-beyond-george-w-bush-by-making-critical/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/tariq-ali-2958_book_tayyip-erdogan-wants-to-go-beyond-george_1464742.jpg) > [At the moment we have a critical situation in Greece. Even as we speak, where there is an open attempt by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/at-the-moment-we-have-a-critical-situation-in-greece-even-as-we-speak/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Alternatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/tariq-ali-2958_alternatives_at-the-moment-we-have-a-critical-situati_2754602.jpg) > [“The Executive Committee of the People's Will had scored it's biggest success on 1 March 1881 by assassinating Alexander II, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-executive-committee-of-the-people-s-will-had-scored-it-s-biggest/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/tariq-ali-2958_failure_the-executive-committee-of-the-people-s_751048.png) > [Economics and politics are so intertwined and interlinked that politics now, mainstream politics, extreme center politics, are little else but a version…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/economics-and-politics-are-so-intertwined-and-interlinked-that/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Alternatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/757/tariq-ali-2958_alternatives_economics-and-politics-are-so-intertwine_2756268.png) > [The genealogy of fictional characters can become an obsession, like train-spotting, and should be firmly resisted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-genealogy-of-fictional-characters-can-become-an-obsession-like/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/tariq-ali-2958_become_the-genealogy-of-fictional-characters-ca_1483443.png) > [Anthony Powell was the most European of 20th-century British novelists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/anthony-powell-was-the-most-european-of-20th-century-british-novelists/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5a/tariq-ali-2958_british_anthony-powell-was-the-most-european-of_140950.png) > [“The heathen could only be eliminated as a force if their culture was completely erased.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-heathen-could-only-be-eliminated-as-a-force-if-their-culture-was/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/tariq-ali-2958_culture_the-heathen-could-only-be-eliminated-as_1413278.png) > [We live, after all, in a world where illusions are sacred and truth profane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/we-live-after-all-in-a-world-where-illusions-are-sacred-and-truth/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d47/tariq-ali-2958_illusion_we-live-after-all-in-a-world-where-illus_3180032.png) > [Independence is the only way Scotland can realise its full political and cultural potential in the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/independence-is-the-only-way-scotland-can-realise-its-full-political/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [21st century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/21st-century/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0eb/tariq-ali-2958_21st-century_independence-is-the-only-way-scotland-ca_401491.png) > [Western enthusiasm for democracy stops when those opposed to its policies are elected to office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/western-enthusiasm-for-democracy-stops-when-those-opposed-to-its/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdf/tariq-ali-2958_democracy_western-enthusiasm-for-democracy-stops-w_848973.png) ## Tariq Ali by topic [World (21)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/tariq-ali/) [Politics (20)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/tariq-ali/) [War (17)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/tariq-ali/) [Israel (16)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/tariq-ali/) [Thinking (14)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/tariq-ali/) [States (13)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/tariq-ali/) [Political (13)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/tariq-ali/) [Ifs (13)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/tariq-ali/) [Europe (12)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/tariq-ali/) [United states (11)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/tariq-ali/) [United (11)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/tariq-ali/) [Unions (11)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/tariq-ali/) [Time (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/tariq-ali/) [People (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/tariq-ali/) [Democracy (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/tariq-ali/) [Country (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/tariq-ali/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/#itemlist", "name": "Tariq Ali Quotes", "numberOfItems": 40, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Basically, we are witnessing the twilight of democracy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/basically-we-are-witnessing-the-twilight-of-democracy/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": 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And the bigger the crisis, the greater the punishment inflicted on those in power unless they do something that makes a change.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/in-times-of-crisis-the-incumbent-suffers-and-the-bigger-the-crisis/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/tariq-ali-2958_change_in-times-of-crisis-the-incumbent-suffers_1116230.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/tariq-ali-2958_change_in-times-of-crisis-the-incumbent-suffers_1116230.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/tariq-ali-2958_change_in-times-of-crisis-the-incumbent-suffers_1116230.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In times of crisis, the incumbent suffers. 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They wanted to change the world. Many fought against the stifling atmosphere in many groups.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/young-women-and-men-who-joined-the-far-left-groups-did-so-for-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/tariq-ali-2958_best_young-women-and-men-who-joined-the-far-l_539954.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/tariq-ali-2958_best_young-women-and-men-who-joined-the-far-l_539954.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bc/tariq-ali-2958_best_young-women-and-men-who-joined-the-far-l_539954.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Young women and men who joined the far-left groups did so for the best of reasons. They wanted to change the…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 21, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The sobbing of the weak today is the sobbing of the victims of neoliberal policies. They consist of billions of people all over the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-sobbing-of-the-weak-today-is-the-sobbing-of-the-victims-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/tariq-ali-2958_billions_the-sobbing-of-the-weak-today-is-the-sob_2761529.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/tariq-ali-2958_billions_the-sobbing-of-the-weak-today-is-the-sob_2761529.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/tariq-ali-2958_billions_the-sobbing-of-the-weak-today-is-the-sob_2761529.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The sobbing of the weak today is the sobbing of the victims of neoliberal policies. They consist of billions…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 22, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I arrived to study at Oxford in October 1963, the bohemian style was black plastic or leather jackets for women and black leather or navy donkey jackets for men. I stuck to cavalry twills and a duffle coat, at least for a few months.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/when-i-arrived-to-study-at-oxford-in-october-1963-the-bohemian-style/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/tariq-ali-2958_bohemian_when-i-arrived-to-study-at-oxford-in-oct_642579.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/tariq-ali-2958_bohemian_when-i-arrived-to-study-at-oxford-in-oct_642579.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7d/tariq-ali-2958_bohemian_when-i-arrived-to-study-at-oxford-in-oct_642579.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I arrived to study at Oxford in October 1963, the bohemian style was black plastic or leather jackets…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 23, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The European Union is effectively a union dominated by the German political and economic elite. Its main function is to serve as a nucleus for financial capitalism and to ease the road for that capitalism. The other functions just irritate everyone: it's undemocratic; decisions are not made by parliament; the European Parliament is not sovereign.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-european-union-is-effectively-a-union-dominated-by-the-german/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/tariq-ali-2958_capitalism_the-european-union-is-effectively-a-unio_115315.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/tariq-ali-2958_capitalism_the-european-union-is-effectively-a-unio_115315.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/tariq-ali-2958_capitalism_the-european-union-is-effectively-a-unio_115315.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The European Union is effectively a union dominated by the German political and economic elite. 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So to blame the Germans for everything is an easy way out for some of those suffering in Europe today.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-eu-is-an-alliance-that-the-americans-control-in-which-the-eu-of/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/468/tariq-ali-2958_alliances_the-eu-is-an-alliance-that-the-americans_386553.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/468/tariq-ali-2958_alliances_the-eu-is-an-alliance-that-the-americans_386553.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/468/tariq-ali-2958_alliances_the-eu-is-an-alliance-that-the-americans_386553.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The EU is an alliance that the Americans control, in which the EU of course has a great deal of autonomy…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 25, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there is a Greek exit from the Eurozone, I think the German elite will be quite pleased that they can then use that to restructure the Eurozone and make it a zone where only strong countries are allowed in. There would then be two tiers within the European Union, which is in fact already happening. But you cannot simply get rid of German control by raising the specter of the Third Reich. That's ahistorical.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/if-there-is-a-greek-exit-from-the-eurozone-i-think-the-german-elite/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/tariq-ali-2958_country_if-there-is-a-greek-exit-from-the-eurozo_2702233.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/tariq-ali-2958_country_if-there-is-a-greek-exit-from-the-eurozo_2702233.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/050/tariq-ali-2958_country_if-there-is-a-greek-exit-from-the-eurozo_2702233.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If there is a Greek exit from the Eurozone, I think the German elite will be quite pleased that they can…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 26, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The U.S. is telling the Northern Alliance to kill Taliban prisoners. It's totally a breach of all the known conventions of war. Western television networks aren't showing this, but Arab networks are showing how prisoners are being killed and what's being done to them. Instead, we're shown scenes that are deliberately created for the Western media: a few women without the veil, a woman reading the news on Kabul television, and 150 people cheering.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-u-s-is-telling-the-northern-alliance-to-kill-taliban-prisoners-it/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/tariq-ali-2958_alliances_the-u-s-is-telling-the-northern-alliance_1083082.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/tariq-ali-2958_alliances_the-u-s-is-telling-the-northern-alliance_1083082.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/tariq-ali-2958_alliances_the-u-s-is-telling-the-northern-alliance_1083082.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The U.S. is telling the Northern Alliance to kill Taliban prisoners. It's totally a breach of all the known…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 27, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“[ Taken from a BBC documentary ] Tariq was born in Lahore, now in Pakistan, then part of British-ruled India, in 1943. A Catholic school education did nothing to shake his life-long atheism, which he shared with his communist parents.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/taken-from-a-bbc-documentary-tariq-was-born-in-lahore-now-in-pakistan/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/153/tariq-ali-2958_atheism_taken-from-a-bbc-documentary-tariq-was-b_1754697.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/153/tariq-ali-2958_atheism_taken-from-a-bbc-documentary-tariq-was-b_1754697.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/153/tariq-ali-2958_atheism_taken-from-a-bbc-documentary-tariq-was-b_1754697.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[ Taken from a BBC documentary ] Tariq was born in Lahore, now in Pakistan, then part of British-ruled…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 28, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The cinematic language and interior destiny of each Iranian film-maker is different. The international influences on them vary from Rossellini to Fellini, Akira Kurosawa to Hou Hsiao-hsien, but there is a strong sense of solidarity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-cinematic-language-and-interior-destiny-of-each-iranian-film/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/tariq-ali-2958_cinema_the-cinematic-language-and-interior-dest_1883690.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/tariq-ali-2958_cinema_the-cinematic-language-and-interior-dest_1883690.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f86/tariq-ali-2958_cinema_the-cinematic-language-and-interior-dest_1883690.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The cinematic language and interior destiny of each Iranian film-maker is different. The international…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 29, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To fight tyranny and oppression by using tyrannical and oppressive means, to combat a single-minded and ruthless fanaticism by becoming equally fanatical and ruthless, will not further the cause of justice or bring about a meaningful democracy. It can only prolong the cycle of violence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/to-fight-tyranny-and-oppression-by-using-tyrannical-and-oppressive/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/tariq-ali-2958_becoming_to-fight-tyranny-and-oppression-by-using_1052845.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/tariq-ali-2958_becoming_to-fight-tyranny-and-oppression-by-using_1052845.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/803/tariq-ali-2958_becoming_to-fight-tyranny-and-oppression-by-using_1052845.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To fight tyranny and oppression by using tyrannical and oppressive means, to combat a single-minded and…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 30, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Continuous wars - which we have now had since 2001 - starting with Afghanistan, continuing on to Iraq. And even since Iraq, it's been more or less continuous. The appalling war in Libya, which has wrecked that country and wrecked that part of the world, and which isn't over by any means. The indirect Western intervention in Syria, which has created new monsters. These are policies, which if carried out by any individual government, would be considered extremist. Now, they're being carried out collectively by the United States, backed by some of the countries of the European Union.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/continuous-wars-which-we-have-now-had-since-2001-starting-with/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/tariq-ali-2958_afghanistan_continuous-wars-which-we-have-now-had-si_3151179.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/tariq-ali-2958_afghanistan_continuous-wars-which-we-have-now-had-si_3151179.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cc/tariq-ali-2958_afghanistan_continuous-wars-which-we-have-now-had-si_3151179.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Continuous wars - which we have now had since 2001 - starting with Afghanistan, continuing on to Iraq. And…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 31, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Tayyip Erdogan wants to go beyond George W. Bush by making critical journalism and critics in the academy illegal. What will be the difference between him and a military government? Very little. I read his remarks on the effectiveness of Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. Well, yes. But then the AKP would have to ban all other political parties, close down all critical newspapers, burn the books critical of the regime and gas the Kurds to death...the final solution of the Kurdish 'problem.' Somehow I don't think he is about to do that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/tayyip-erdogan-wants-to-go-beyond-george-w-bush-by-making-critical/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/tariq-ali-2958_book_tayyip-erdogan-wants-to-go-beyond-george_1464742.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/tariq-ali-2958_book_tayyip-erdogan-wants-to-go-beyond-george_1464742.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/tariq-ali-2958_book_tayyip-erdogan-wants-to-go-beyond-george_1464742.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Tayyip Erdogan wants to go beyond George W. Bush by making critical journalism and critics in the academy…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 32, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At the moment we have a critical situation in Greece. Even as we speak, where there is an open attempt by the EU to destroy Syriza by splitting it. There is a German obstinacy and utter refusal to seriously consider an alternative. The reason isn't even a lack of money, because money swims around the EU coffers endlessly, and they could write off the debt tomorrow if they wanted. But they don't want to do so, because of the election of a left-wing government. They want to punish Syriza in public, to humiliate it so that this model doesn't go any further than Greece.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/at-the-moment-we-have-a-critical-situation-in-greece-even-as-we-speak/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/tariq-ali-2958_alternatives_at-the-moment-we-have-a-critical-situati_2754602.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/tariq-ali-2958_alternatives_at-the-moment-we-have-a-critical-situati_2754602.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/tariq-ali-2958_alternatives_at-the-moment-we-have-a-critical-situati_2754602.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“At the moment we have a critical situation in Greece. 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And this means that any alternative - alternative capitalism, left Keynesianism, intervention by the state to help the poor, rolling back the privatizations - becomes a huge issue. 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"@type": "ListItem", "position": 35, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The genealogy of fictional characters can become an obsession, like train-spotting, and should be firmly resisted.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tariq Ali" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/the-genealogy-of-fictional-characters-can-become-an-obsession-like/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/tariq-ali-2958_become_the-genealogy-of-fictional-characters-ca_1483443.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/tariq-ali-2958_become_the-genealogy-of-fictional-characters-ca_1483443.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/tariq-ali-2958_become_the-genealogy-of-fictional-characters-ca_1483443.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The genealogy of fictional characters can become an obsession, like train-spotting, and should be firmly…” — Tariq Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": 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