Random Thoughts on Iran's Democracy

By Alexander Le



Democracy is a way of life. Democracy is a method of solving problems within a sovereign nation. Democracy has to be desired and demanded by the people of a nation. Democracy can not be imposed on or forced upon any government, regime or sovereign nation.

Throughout the process of spreading democracy to the world, the U.S. and other western nations have made numerous dire mistakes on this effort with much ironies and complications. One such mistake, can not be ignored because of its devastating consequences have reverberated to today, is what had done in Iran. The U.S. and Britain with misguided efforts and policies imposed their brand of democracy on Iran via a coup d’état (Operation Ajax/Operation Boot) of Prime Minister Mossadegh in 1953; with one in the name of national security (the Soviet Union threat) and with the other in the name of national interest (Anglo-Iranian Oil Company), respectively.

Our current president is trying to undo past mistakes through unbound approaches, peaceful policies, and open dialogues. Iran always and has been blaming the U.S. and Great Britain for any political unrest in its nation, ever since that staged coup by the CIA and the British Secret Intelligence Service in deposing their only democratic elected and beloved Prime Minister Mossadegh. And, they have legitimate reasons to believe so at the current time. The fact is: no nation in the world ever formed a foreign policy toward Iran, without considerable thoughts of its oil and its strategic location for military and political purposes. President Obama is treading with great care over the course of these new internal conflicts of Iran, and his cautiousness is correctly taken so. The administration doesn’t want to present itself as interfering into Iran’s internal affairs, but on the same token, it also doesn’t want to be seen as lack of interest and leadership. The U.S. is in a sensitive period of relationship rebuilding and past wounds healing with state of Iran. Also, there is the delicate and most important issue of nuclear weapons threat; besides, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the impossible agreements of Israel and Palestine, the stability of world oil supply, the waves of terrorism throughout the world, etc. Peace within the Middle East region (and effectively most of the globe) will be depended on the state of relationship between Iran and the western nations, particularly the U.S.

China is championed in advocating of the so called “democracy-in-stages”. China Prime Minister Deng Xiaoping reportedly told then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and President Nixon on their first visit to China, back in 1973: Democracy is to be desired and it requires time to grow, just as a tree needs time to take roots. In due time, this tree will be firmed and grown strong without the need of daily attention, given favorable conditions.

Democracy in the U.S. did take over 230 years to grow and still growing with various difficulties along with adapting to the ever-changing society, demographics and problematic issues. The time of women couldn't vote and the time that blacks could not sit in the front of public transportation such as buses and trains are still very freshly remembered in our own mind and time.

Therefore… China, Iran and other non-democratic countries will grow their own brand of democracy at its own pace and on its own will. The U.S. brand of democracy can not be imposed on other nations, since each nation is with different culture, history and population. The U.S. was allowed to struggle and grow into its own brand of democracy, without any interference from other nations; the same can be and should be expected from the U.S. government for other nations around the globe.

The situation in Iran at the moment is a much delicate and complicated one with no real understanding from the west. The fact is, we have no expert authorities on Iran... at least, the current Iran with its Islamic regime versus its young population’s desires to break the mold in craving for a new democracy in the nation’s government. We have no diplomatic relation, no intelligence agents, and no pertinent apparatuses in this nation for over 30 years to really understand the current situation within, and to forecast future events to come.

To be successful at regime change and execution of coup d’état, the oppositionists have to own and have complete control over the crowds, the mobs, the demonstrators and command these groups at will; and the military has to be on their side. Radio, television, news print media, and internet social websites also have to be in favor of the cause or in control by the oppositional force. It has seemed that this is not completely the case here in recent Iranians uprising.

To have a successful change of regime, the change must be from the top down, in the case of most dictatorship governments. The Cold War had ended partly by the challenge of change from then-Premier Gorbachev. The successful change in the “open door” policy of China was enacted by Prime Minister Deng Xiaopeng even with various challenges from the opposition old hard-liners. And, such successes were realized because of support from the top down and the military. Tiananmen Square ill-fated outcome was caused by its change derived from the bottom up, without support from the top government officials and the key leaders of the military.

The policy of "Separation of State and Religion" always needs to be observed in any democratic government and society for the system to operate in a most effective manner. No country can rise to its full potential without the separation of these two entities within its political system. Iran is of no exception. Its potential can not be fully realized with its outdated laws and rules (based on wrongful interpretation of the Koran) over its women and citizens who are bound and shackled by outrageous misogynistic ideas and traditions that effectively cripple the progress of a modern society. As long as the Islamic regime in Iran, and the rest of the Arab world, continuing down this path, their societies will unfortunately be wallowing in grief and despair, violence and tyranny. That said, it's still an impossible complete execution of policy in reality. All government officials in a democratic society need votes. All votes come from citizens... and most citizens do have some kind of affiliation with a religious entity... and this entity does voice itself in a political way to exert its influences and favors over the politicians within its own causes. And, at the ultimate end… a majority of politicians are influenced by these religious organizations while seeking for the number of votes they need to win an election. Organized religions should be banned from politics, and vice versa. No one can save your soul, except yourself. No one can vote for you, except with your own will and a strong conviction of equality, liberty and justice.

In Iran and other countries with a totalitarian regime or dictatorial government, the real power is not in the “Supreme Leader”, but in the people that allowing him to be in such power and providing him with necessary conditions to stay in such position. To gain real changes and to lead the path of a future functional democratic political system, Iranians have to be more forceful in their demands and with organized opposition groups all united to outmaneuver all foreseen political moves and strangleholds of the current regime in order for democracy to flourish in this nation.




Poem by Simin Behbahani


If the flames of anger rise any higher in this land
Your name on your tombstone will be covered with dirt.
You have become a babbling loudmouth.
Your insolent ranting, something to joke about.
The lies you have found, you have woven together.
The rope you have crafted, you will find around your neck.
Pride has swollen your head, your faith has grown blind.
The elephant that falls will not rise.
Stop this extravagance, this reckless throwing of my country to the wind.
The grim-faced rising cloud will grovel at the swamp's feet.
Stop this screaming, mayhem, and blood shed.
Stop doing what makes God's creatures mourn with tears.
My curses will not be upon you, as in their fulfillment.
My enemies' afflictions also cause me pain.
You may wish to have me burned, or decide to stone me.
But in your hand match or stone will lose their power to harm me.

Translated by Kaveh Safa and Farzaneh Milani
Posted by Tom Hasani (Tomy) Friday, June 26, 2009, on NPR.org