Reviving the Iranian revolt

I am proud of what my parents' generation did in 1979


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Reviving the Iranian revolt
by hoder
20-Feb-2008
 

At the height of the Iranian revolution in the winter of 1979, French philosopher, Michel Foucault, described what he was seeing in Tehran as "perhaps the first great insurrection against global systems, the form of revolt that is the most novel and the most insane."

"Islam," he wrote, "which is not simply a religion, but an entire way of life, an adherence to a history and a civilization, has a good chance to become a gigantic powder keg, at the level of hundreds of millions of men."

Such praising words about the Iranian uprising are probably the very reason few have even heard of Foucault's dispatches from Tehran for the Italian newspaper, Corriere Dela Sera, in 1978-79.

Twenty nine winters later, the Islamic Republic of Iran is more independent, stable, confident and technologically advanced than ever, while it has remained as the most serious and continuous challenge to the U.S. hegemony in the world.

But what can explain the survival of the outcome of such revolt? What will the future look like for Iran, whose most of its young population now have no first-hand experience of that revolt?

The rise of the first non-cleric president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, can point to some answers.

For sixteen years, Iranian government was in the hands of the Euro-American educated bureaucrats who were gradually departing from the specific subjectivity (rejection of the universals, in Foucult's term) which brought about the Iranian uprising of the 1979. The spectre of modernity slowly started to dominate everything, from the economy to the politics, and the two consequtive administrations picked up a similar project of modernization which the shah had previously failed to continue, and with it, the gloomy consequences started to wane in too: corruption, incompetence, and socio-economic inequality.

The elite's vision of economic and political "reform" was transforming Iran into a very similar country under the shah, only with an Islamic posture. At the same time, the Europe and the U.S. were not only happily watching as Iran was practically undoing its revolt, but even assisting and accelerating the process.

Then came the shock. Ahmadinejad, an outsider to the Iranian establishment who was never taken seriously by journalists and politicians alike, won the election. Compared to his main rivals, he had lower religious credentials, less support from the elite, less money for campaigning, and gave zero promises to normalize relations with the U.S. Instead, he travelled much more around the country and met face-to-face with the forgotten majority of Iranians, talked more about economic equality, and promised more of a serious war on corruption.

He simply pledged a return to the abandoned values of the 1979 uprising, with independence, freedom and justice at the centre. (His promises about a more relaxed attitude toward religious code are reflected in its talks with the British rocker Morrissey to have one of the first non-Iranian rock acts after 1979.)

If Western journalist leave the Northern part of Tehran more often, they will be able to observe how much Ahmadinejad represents a passionate revival of the core values of the uprising. They will also discover how Islam is functioning as the best, but not the only, carrier of those values.

Like many Iranians who have lived in the West for the past 7, 8 years, the rise of Ahmadinejad (and also travelling to other parts of the Middle East) has incited a radical change in the way I see myself, relate to Iran, and view the world. I have finally realised what it was that the entire Iranian nation revolted in order to achieve and how valuable this subjectivity is to empower the world of the marginalised, the poor and the oppressed.

This doesn't mean I don't see the unfortunate intolerance the Iranian government sometimes shows toward dissent and difference. But I argue that such intolerance is a direct consequent of the existential threat that the big powers have posed toward Iran since the day it succeeded in its revolt.

As a post-revolutionary Iranian, who is not religious a single bit, I am proud of what my parents' generation did in 1979 and I do whatever I can to protect and improve the Islamic Republic of Iran in its promises of independence, freedom and justice.

This has predictable made me being labelled as an "agent of the regime", by many exiled Iranians who always do that to anyone with whom disagrees with. But you will see millions like me if you ever visit Iran and not be trapped in those parties in Northern Tehran.

Hossein Derakhshan is a London-based media analyst and writes the Persian-English blog at hoder.com. this article first appeared in The Guardian.


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more from hoder
 
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Hoder=Bache akhoond

by Iranlover (not verified) on Wed Feb 20, 2008 02:14 PM PST

Hoder=Bache akhoond


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To Alborzi and Hoder

by Anonymoose (not verified) on Wed Feb 20, 2008 02:11 PM PST

Alborzi, I am surprised and disappointed at your remark and the fact that you think Khomeini was 1000 times "more intelligent" and "courageous" than the Shah. If you listen to Khomeini's taped messages that were "smuggled" into Iran in 1978, he preaches that the Iranian people should rise against the US because "Amrika 2500 sal as darad mara estesmar mikonad"...an intelligent remark from an intelligent man, who didn't know his ass from the hole in the ground, who wrote about the sticking his thumb up his anus, the legitimacy of sheep fucking, and that of a child born to a woman who was impregnated by her uncle who fell on top of her during an earthquake...yes, that is very, very enlightened and intelligent. Oh, and courageous, don't forget courageous. The man, who sacrificed Iran and its youth from 1982-88 so that he could stay in power...that takes REAL COURAGE!!!!

To Hoder, if you're so proud of your parents, you should follow in their footsteps and return to Iran and stay there, just like an Irani...you should spend your days going from one government bureaucracy to another, alafing over your "cart melli", or spend your days waiting in the bread lines or gasoline lines, or sitting in traffic.
I just returned from Iran, and while there I did not meet one single person who was happy with Ahmaghinejad, his policies, or the IRI...not in northern Tehran, not in central or southern Tehran or any other part of Iran for that matter. In Iran, the average rent is about $150 per month and the average salary is about $100 per month...the poor and the oppresed are still poor and oppressed some 29+ yeas after the revolution. The inflation is skyrocketing in Iran, prostitution, drug addiction, theft, robbery, and other crimes are high, and the pollution and traffic just adds to the miserable state under which Iranians live. Iran has never been in a worse socio-economic and political situation as that brought under YOUR Antarinejad. THAT is what your president, Ahmaghinejad has brought with his presidency...I spit on you, and your president, and your jad andar jad...

Please either get your head out of your ass next time you decide to write something resembling an intelligent piece or spare us your writing all together and keep your rubbish to yourself.


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Q: Whose front do you represent? The Islamic republic of Terror?

by A true Bacheh Akhoond (not verified) on Wed Feb 20, 2008 01:56 PM PST

You claim that you are a "freelance writer and a photographer"!? Are these activities your part time jobs or your full time jobs? How do you make the ends meet? Where do you bring your rent money, car payment, house mortgage, grocery, clothing, etc.? Isn't the cost of living in the SoCal one of the highest one in the world? Do you kaff meekhori and havva meerini? Stop insulting our intelligence? Khar Khodeti, baba!

Isn't the term " I am a Writer and a Photographer" a front disguise for the agents of the Islamic Republic of Mullahs in the Untied States of America? How much does the IRI pay you? I mean for God's sakes stop this nonsense masquerade!?

You are a lier!?


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farokh2000

Are you serious!!?

by farokh2000 on Wed Feb 20, 2008 01:47 PM PST

I really don't think anyone can justify the existance of Mullahs in Iran in anyway or shape. They tricked and cheated to get to power " I have no ambitions for power, just kiick the Shah out and then I will go to Ghom and be a religious Leader". Does that sound familiar?.Can you tell me who said that?

They tricked people into supporting them and then grabbed and murdered anyone who would speak up against them.

How could you, as a real Iranian support those criminals?. Are you not a human being with feelings for others?

Shame on you. I am NOT a supporter of the dead Shah but I hate the Mullahs with all my heart.

Only people of Iran will have to kick their dirty asses out of there, not the invaders from outside.


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Get lost Hoder

by Mehran (not verified) on Wed Feb 20, 2008 01:32 PM PST

Why don't you go away and stop writing on this website Hoder.


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Q

hahaha... I see the party has started without me

by Q on Wed Feb 20, 2008 01:29 PM PST

damn. I really wanted to do a "3, 2, 1, let the fohshkari begin!" Nice to see you clowns are on the case early.

Nice touch on Foucault, by the way, hoder joon.


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Coz you're an idiot! nuff said about a "London-based" media turd

by Amir Khosrow Sheibany (not verified) on Wed Feb 20, 2008 01:26 PM PST

As for your parents generation


Enghelab nakardan. Ann Gholab kardan.


If it was not for the devastation and wars and mass murders they initiated, we could have a good laugh at their 'sex-change operation' on a functioning and successful country. 13 largest economy in the world, no less.


Javid Shah. Shahanshah!


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Sometimes you live in your dreams

by Alborzi (not verified) on Wed Feb 20, 2008 01:24 PM PST

Its very interesting, years ago I used to go to an Irish bar called "Colman's". All the people who hanged there had this idea of how "real" Irish people
should be like and their problems. On my trips (before revolution ) to Iran, I used to stop at Dublin. Its totally modern and much different than people in Coleman's described. I feel the Iranian's on this board
also need to travel to Iran and find out how popular Pahlavi's are. I grant you there are people who are nostalgic about it but in the same breath they think Khomeini was 1000x more intelligent and courageous than Shah ever was. I am not sure if Iran will be tolerated or an Iraq like "freedom" operation will be performed, but just be real and stay away from LA soosools.


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Fred

Addicted to lime light at any price

by Fred on Wed Feb 20, 2008 01:16 PM PST

Breaking new ground in apologists' stratosphere.


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Please Ignore this bufoon.

by Anonymous60 (not verified) on Wed Feb 20, 2008 01:09 PM PST

Please Ignore this bufoon. That is the only way he will stop this nonsense and will go away. Don't feed his gigantic ego by responding. He thrives on it. Thanks.


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jamshid

Proud?

by jamshid on Wed Feb 20, 2008 01:04 PM PST

Of course you are proud. You are a bacheh mollah who is enjoying his moft khori in the West using Iran's plundered wealth, while Iranians are being brutalized in Iran.

You have no credibility anywhere, except among your own kind, i.e., traitors.


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