On the Decline of the Leftist Intelligentsia in Iraq

During the 1940s-1970s, the leftist intelligentsia played a prominent role in constructing a vibrant Iraqi culture, contributed greatly to the flourishing of literature and the arts, and exerted a great impact in the cultural and political spheres. This article focuses primarily on the 1960s, when, despite two Ba’thist coups, the cultural ambience was pronouncedly leftist. The second half of the decade was marked by a leftward momentum in oppositional politics, a spirit of rebellion among the intelligentsia, and innovation in cultural productions. The Ba’th control of culture after 1968 and its campaign against the ICP in the late 1970s, among other factors, led to the subsequent decline of the ICP and the diminished role of the leftist intelligentsia.