Khalil Maleki (1901–1969) was a rare phenomenon in twentieth-century Iran. A selfless campaigner for democracy and social welfare, he adopted a unique approach to politics, prioritising the criticism of policies detrimental to his country’s development over the pursuit of power itself. He was also an acute political theorist who at every stage from the 1940s to the 1960s put forward ideas, virtually all of which have proven prescient.
Homa Katouzian not only knew Maleki personally, but has studied his life and ideas for half a century. In this work he provides a fascinating portrait of an inspiring figure who was involved in some of the major turning points in the twentieth-century Iranian history, from the split of communist Tudeh party to the 1953 coup and its aftermath. In an age of political intolerance and uncompromising confrontation, Maleki remained an indefatigable advocate for open political discussion and peaceful reform – a stance that saw him jailed several times. In Khalil Maleki we see his political life in full for the very first time.