Marxism, Philosophy, and Art
Dr. Taimur Rahman
Abstract
This interview with Taimur Rahman — Secretary — General of the Mazdoor Kisan Party and member of the band Laal — examines the contemporary crisis of the Left through the lenses of Marxist philosophy, political strategy, and cultural production. Rahman argues that the global ascendancy of postmodernism and identity politics represents a decisive retreat from the Enlightenment’s materialist and rationalist tradition, locating Marxism within what scholars such as Jonathan Israel term the “Radical Enlightenment.” He contends that the renewal of class politics requires a comprehensive theoretical struggle against philosophical irrationalism and relativism. Situating these debates in Pakistan, Rahman analyzes how Western intellectual trends intersect with neocolonial conditions, ethno-nationalist movements, and class antagonisms, often producing unstable ideological formations hostile to Marxism — Leninism. He reflects on the historical trajectory of the Pakistani communist movement — from the repression of the Communist Party and the formation of the National Awami Party to the evolution of the MKP — drawing lessons on revisionism, ultra-leftism, and organizational fragmentation. Addressing international relations, Rahman challenges prevailing narratives of “multipolarity,” arguing that the post-1991 order remains defined by U.S.-led imperial hegemony structured through institutions such as NATO and the Bretton Woods system. Finally, he reflects on the dialectical unity of art and politics, describing music as an indispensable vehicle for revolutionary consciousness rooted in Pakistan’s progressive cultural traditions.
Keywords
Mazdoor Kisan Party, Marxism–Leninism, postmodernism, identity politics, Pakistan, multipolarity, U.S. hegemony, NATO, revolutionary art, Taimur Rahman
