Sam Aaronovitch

Sam Aaronovitch (26 December 1919 – 30 May 1998) was a British economist, academic, working class intellectual and senior member of the Communist Party of Great Britain.

Biography Aaronovitch was born in the East End of London to Jewish immigrants and his early years were devoted to activity as a Communist Party militant and then a party full timer. In 1945 he was the election agent for one of only two Communist candidates ever elected to the London County Council.

Near the age of 50, he entered academia as an economist after studying at Balliol College, Oxford for a D.Phil. (without any previous academic qualifications) from 1967 to 1971. He once explained his difficulties in filling in applications for university posts: "Education: St George's-in-the-East Secondary, Stepney 1930–34; Balliol College, Oxford 1967–71."

Falling ill, he retired from South Bank University in 1997.