"I am not a Marxist, but I place myself resolutely at the left"

Ahmed Ben Bella was an Algerian revolutionary and the first President of Algeria. In this quote, he is expressing his political beliefs and his position on the political spectrum. He is stating that he is not a Marxist, however he identifies himself as being on the left. This could suggest that he is a socialist or a progressive, however he does not necessarily subscribe to the Marxist ideology. He is most likely describing the left-right political spectrum, which is a method of categorizing political ideologies based on their economic and social policies. Usually, those on the left are more progressive and advocate for more federal government intervention in the economy and society, while those on the right are more conservative and supporter for less government intervention. By saying he is on the left, Ben Bella is revealing his assistance for progressive policies and his opposition to conservative policies.