Academia
Rehman began teaching economics at the Lahore School of Economics after completing his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Grinnell College, United States. He recalls starting his academia journey so early on that some of his students were merely a year younger.
After three years at LSE, Rehman left to pursue his master’s degree in International Relations and Affairs from the University of Sussex. Upon returning to Pakistan, he joined the political science department at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, where he is currently a tenured professor.
Rehman also completed his Doctorate in Political Economy from the SOAS University of London, United Kingdom, during his association with LUMS.
Hence it is apt that his seminal work, The Class Structure of Pakistan, falls in the genre of political economy. The book relies heavily on statistical analysis to challenge the unilinear evolution of history, which posits that all societies follow the same five modes of production in history: primitive communist, slave society, feudalism, capitalism, and finally socialism.
The first two chapters map out the class structure of the Mughal period and the transition to capitalism during the colonial era. The latter part analyzes the contemporary class structure of Pakistan.
Rahman felt inspired to write this book after sensing a dearth in literature examining Pakistan’s class structure through a broad lens, one not limited to a specific timeframe or region.
The Class Structure of Pakistan won the Akhtar Hameed Award for the best social sciences book in 2012.
Political Activism
As a political activist, Taimur Rahman marches on the frontline being the General Secretary of the Mazdoor Kissan Party, which advocates social, political, economic equality by fighting imperialism, capitalism, and feudalism to implement a socialist state.
Mazdoor Kissan Party joined forces with the PTM movement, and Rehman spoke out in solidarity with Manzoor Pashteen’s cause.
In July 2019, the Mazdoor Kissan Party led their Mehangai Mukao March from Lahore to Rawalpindi protesting the woeful economic performance of the PTI government.
Musician
Beyond intellectual discussions and party slogans, Taimur Rahman brings his fiery passion for communism alive on stage.
He is a strong proponent of using music to ignite social change. His band Lal sings the poetry of progressive poets such as Habib Jalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz.
Laal has been closely involved in social and political causes since its inception in 2007. Laal’s first album, Umeed-e-Sahar was dedicated to the lawyer’s movement, which demanded the restoration of the judiciary during General Musharraf’s dictatorship.
Laal has also worked to raise money for several causes such as the earthquake relief in 2005, IDP crises of 2009, and the flood relief in 2010.
However, Laal’s biggest achievement is their audacious journey fighting religious extremism through music. Laal performed at 171 underprivileged schools across 18 months under their music for peace campaign.
Rahman has recalled this campaign as a soul-nourishing experience after witnessing the masses resonate profoundly with music. Had there been a media wide coverage of this journey, the world would know the Pakistani masses are anything but terrorists, according to Rahman.
Laal’s involvement in social change wasn’t without a backlash. Their fast growing Facebook page was banned in 2014 without a stated cause. Rehman believes this is an inevitable cause of espousing progressive ideas that challenge the status quo.
As a student who was far more interested in the girl sitting a few rows below him than the man lecturing in front of him, I found profound inspiration and hope after realizing that the words of the man reverberate well beyond the privileged space we sat in.
More so, in his goofy smile and curious eyes I found an ordinariness that told me there is no limit to the avenues fate can unfold if you truly embody what you believe.
