As a NY Times artricle notes this was a banner year for four emeging economies–India, China, Brazil and Russia.
The article does NOT even mention Iran, a country that–with such great human and material resources–should be miles ahead of at least three of the above if not ruled by corrupt, incompetent and thieving bunglers. The regime’s wealth-squandering economic “crimes” are just as extreme as it’s grotesque anti-human crimes that totally suppress all freedom and human rights.
AN ECONOMIC ROAD TO NOWHERE
Over 30 years per capita income has actually gone down drastically in Iran under an Islamist oligarchy headed by Khamenei as absolute ruler. Compare that to what once poor China and Russia have done over the last decade alone. You wouldn’t recognize many parts of those countries. They are starting from much further back but if present trends continue, the Iranian people will be left in the dust holding beggar bowls.
To grow rich Iran needs foreign investment, production of usable goods and markets where people will buy them. It will never, never, never happen underr this regime.
From sheer revulsion, people in free countries will avoid buying anything “made in Iran” except the unavoidable so long as this repulsive regime exists. To do otherwise would be like endorsing its crimes. Our purchases would only finance more gulag constuction for journalists and human rights workers and regime critics. Everyone knows that our purchases would only provide more arms, clubs and whips for its security thugs to use on a brutalized people.
As for investing in Iran, its unthinkable given the chaos, the endemic corruption, bribery, the incompetence and the IRCG/clerical monopoly of wealth. Here too, revulsion also plays a part.
THE OPPOSITION AND IRAN’S WORKING CLASS
Iran has no economic future so long as the present regime exists. Payless paydays will continue forever otherwise except for well-paid security forces and well-fed extremist clerics. These are the theme the opposition must emphasize more in future demonstrations to draw working class allies.
It is also the best reason to hold a general strke which can oust this regime and is hard to combat with clubs. Yes, it will increases short-run suffering it but if successful it can provide hope for the future–of which Iran has zero now.
Otherwise, the economic suffering will reach the same low point but over a much longer time. Getting rid of this regime is equivalent of getting rid of a curable cancer–painful but far better than the alternative.
For the Times article see:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/business/global/30emerge.html?_r=1&hp
