Khalil Maleki (1901-1969) was a selfless campaigner for democracy and social welfare in twentieth-century Iran. His was a unique approach to politics, prioritising the criticism of policies detrimental to his country's development over the pursuit of power itself. An influential figure, he was at the centre of such formative events as the split of the communist Tudeh party, and the 1953 coup and its aftermath. In an age of intolerance and uncompromising confrontation, Maleki remained an indefatigable advocate for open discussion and peaceful reform - a stance that saw him jailed several times. This work makes a compelling case for him to be regarded among the foremost thinkers of his generation. CONTENTS Acknowledgements A Note on Transliteration Introduction: The Age of Khalil Maleki 1 Khalil Maleki and the Fifty-Three 2 The Tudeh Party 3 Power Struggles and Oil Nationalisation 4 The Toilers Party 5 The Third Force 6 The 1953 Coup and After 7 Power Struggles, 1960-1963 8 Maleki: The Last Phase Epilogue: Maleki's Success and Failure Select Bibliography Notes Index.