Despite encountering these reservations about the Iranian future, I returned from Iran deeply impressed by having touched ‘the live tissue of revolution.’ There was an extraordinary feeling of societal unity and solidarity that seemed to embrace the whole population, at that moment surmounting divisions of class and ethnicity, and even leading those with religious identifications to bond with liberal secular elements. It was a moment of historic mobilization, and although the future was unknowable, the release of positive energy that we experienced was remarkable. It included walking in a peaceful and joyous demonstration of several million in Tehran to celebrate the departure of the Shah and the victory of the revolution. Such an outpouring of love and happiness lent credibility to our hopes that Iran as a liberated society would go forward to produce a humane and distinctive form of governance.
It was not long afterwards, that what had seemed so promising degenerated into a process that was deeply disturbing, a new disposition toward severely abusing opponents and the emergence of a new religiously grounded autocracy that seemed as unscrupulous as its predecessor. Khomeini surfaced as the supreme leader of this kind of harsh regime, acknowledged as such without ever being elected. To be sure, there were violent counter-revolutionary forces at work in Iran, and there were suspicions that the United States was maneuvering behind the scenes to repeat its coup of 1953. There is no doubt that the United States encouraged Saddam Hussein to attack Iran in 1980, hoping at least to detach the oil province of Kuzistan from the country, and possibly even toppling the Khomeini government. However, these developments are interpreted, there seemed little likelihood that the values that underlay the courageous campaign against the Shah would ever again achieve the spirit of unity and liberation that we found in Iran during our visit in early 1979.
I had written and spoken publically about my impressions of the revolution that we experienced before it encountered these reactionary troubles. Ever since, I have been sharply criticized for my early show of support for Ayatollah Khomeini, and my subsequent misgivings, even active opposition, were ignored. Such a pattern is not unusual, and I might try to give my side of the story at some later point, but now I wish to concentrate on another part of the experience, and talk about the relation between my positive perceptions in phase one and my disillusionment in phase two. I want to raise the question as to whether my enthusiasm in phase one was itself a misguided indulgence in utopian longing that necessarily ends in a reign of terror. Such is the essential thesis of Crane Brinton’s influential Anatomy of Revolution. This view is partially also endorsed by Hannah Arendt’s Revolution with its admiration for the American Revolution because it did not attempt to achieve a social transformation beneficial to the poor and its demonization of the French Revolution because it did insist upon the achievement of a just society, which led in her view to a bloody struggle with the threatened privileged classes and to revolutionary terror.
Such a question was posed for me with stark vividness when I read recently the brilliantly provocative essay of Slavoj Zizek entitled ‘Radical Intellectuals, or, Why Heidegger Took the Right Step (Albeit in the Wrong Direction),’ and especially the short section, ‘Michel Foucault and the Iranian Event,’ published in his breathtaking book, In Defense of Lost Causes. Zizek’s basic support for greeting such historically charismatic events with approval is based on the idea that the faith in liberating the moral potential of human society is the only alternative to being complicit in the exploitation and demeaning of the multitudes and passive in the face of pervasive structural injustice. Zizek makes an important distinction between Heidegger’s temporary embrace of Nazism and Foucault’s of the Iranian Revolution, although he takes note of the similarities, especially the attractive quality of the transcendent moment of collective unity and its associated visionary embrace of a just future for the entire people. He seeks to distinguish the appropriateness of the enthusiasm and longing, and the actual deformity of the events.
In this assessment, Zizek sides with the outlook of the French philosopher Alain Badiou and the Irish playwright Samuel Becket: “Better a disaster of fidelity to the Event than a non-being of indifference toward the Event…. [O]ne can go on and fail better, while indifference drowns us deeper and deeper in the morass of imbelcilic Being.” Of course, it is a radical claim to insist that the deformed societal structures face us with such a stark choice between revolution and complicity via indifference. Such a view rejects reformism and liberal perspectives because of their acceptance of the structures in place, and rejection of more radical challenges on behalf of justice.
Rethinking after more than 30 years my own sequence of enthusiasm, disillusionment, and opposition I am assisted by Zizek’s disquisition although I would not pose the issues of choice so starkly. What seems to me important is to side with the revolutionary impulse, although I am not sure that our historical experience gives us any confidence that revolutionaries are learning to ‘fail better’ although they are definitely learning to ‘fail differently’ (for instance, compare the Arab Spring with the Iranian Revolution, or Mao’s cultural revolution with the Soviet experience with Stalinism).
Was it a mistake of perception, a radical form of wishful thinking, to underestimate or fail earlier to apprehend the negative potentialities of the Iranian Revolution when I visited the country in late 1978, and again in early 1980 in the aftermath of the hostage crisis? Or was it correct to give voice to the positive potentialities that seemed to surface so compellingly during those moments of collective excitement and unity, as well as were expressed by most of those with whom I spoke during the 1979 visit to various Iranian cities? Are Zizek and Badiou correct to separate so sharply the revolutionary vision from its actual dismal human results, or is this an incriminating instance of the irresponsibility of radical thought that has an infantile appreciation of revolutionary ideals while ignoring the conservative wisdom of serious conservative thought that warns us about the demonic outcomes every effort to ditch abruptly existing institutions and class relations? Are we as a species destined to see our dreams of a just and sustainable future always shattered by the deforming effects of struggles for and against new arrangements of governing authority and class relations? Are we condemned, in other words, to banish our dreams from the domain of responsible politics and confine our efforts to marginal reformist initiatives?
Posing such questions is easier than resolving them. I am inclined to think that my response to what took place in Iran was authentic at its various phases, reflecting my best understanding of the unfolding circumstances, adjusting my evaluations phase by phase. I prefer such a view, even in retrospect, to indifference to the Shah’s oppressive regime, while realizing that drastic change, especially in a country endowed with abundant oil reserves, is almost certain to be a rocky road. Should I have been immediately more suspicious of Ayatollah Khomeini and the Islamic dimensions of the revolution? Probably, but it was not clear at the time, because the leading religious figures in Iran were articulating a vision of a just future for Iran even if the future made it clear that their preference was for some kind of theocracy. It should also be pointed out that some religious leaders did seem to envision a humane sequel to the Shah’s Iran that would be inclusive, humane, and sensitive to the human rights of all Iranians, but their voices did not prevail.
I continue to believe that despite the dangers of visionary politics, it is the only hope we have as a species of creating a sustainable and just future for humanity. In ending, I should be clear that I have consistently supported reformist efforts in Iran over the years since the ouster of Banisadr and others, including the presidency of Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005) and the more recent Green Revolution. As with the days of the Shah, Iran urgently requires an emancipatory politics that liberates from within, and regenerates the hopes of the Iranian people. What Iran does not need is an Israeli-American military strike or destabilization moves funded and promoted from without. Intervention by way of military attack, or even in the form of strong economic sanctions (as present), stabilize the regime in Tehran and impose added hardships on the Iranian people. As I have argued in the past the best and only acceptable way to address the questions of nuclear weapons in the Middle East is through establishing a nuclear weapons free zone that includes Israel. To avoid even the discussion of such an option illuminates the strategic submission of American foreign policy to Israeli governmental priorities even in cases such as this where the Israeli public is split and the response to an attack, if it happens, is likely to inflict severe harm on Israel, as well as to risk transforming the entire region into a war zone.
compared to the american revolution, the iranian revolution is working quite well and will improve according to iranian standards.
Mr. Falk’s view about the Iranian revolution is influenced by his expectation.
Mr. Falk is disappointed with Khomeini because he did not fulfill his promises to ‘resuming his religious life’ in Qom when he returned to Iran,”
Please note that Mr. Falk’s analysis of the Iranian revolution and his final disappointment very much is shaped by the US interest in Iran and the region. After all, Mr. Falk is a member of the COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, a body of capitalists where their policy is to maximize the interest of the empire to protect the status quo marching toward “the world government”.
Unfortunately, Mr. Falk does not reveal the role of his government in the Iranian revolution. He forgets Carter’s foreign policy shaped by Brzezinski’s views who believed in bringing the Islamists to power to exert pressure on the Soviet Union at the expenses of other groups like the socialists, a Cold War strategy. Everyone knows about Afghanistan.
Today, the US government through propaganda and lies has made Iran the main enemy, to continue its mission toward world hegemony to justify imperial wars and war crimes against Iranian people.
Falk’s impression of Khomeini that he “was of a highly intelligent, uncompromising,” was true. He noticed that “Khomeini insisted on portraying what had happened in Iran as an ‘Islamic Revolution’; this religious leader was obviously disenchanted with nationalism, as well as royalism.”
First, you should know that Islam like capitalism has NO BORDER. This is the reality that US and people like Falk do not want to accept. If Richard Falk was familiar with Khomeini’s speeches during the riot of June 1963, he would have not been disappointed with Khomeini’s views, because this way of thinking goes hand in hand with the kind of INDEPENDENCE Khomeini had in mind for Iran and the Muslims to be free from exploitation.
Mr. Falk, why is US destroying anything that cannot bring under its ‘leadership?’ The west could not accept the Soviet Union, not because they were interested in ‘human rights’ which was better than US colonies, but they didn’t want an economic arrangement different from the system of slavery and exploitation which benefits only 1%. They have killed millions; some estimate gives 400 million people, to preserve the status quo which is based on terrorism, deceptions, propaganda and exploitation.
The US helped the Iranian revolution by supporting and injecting its own agents, like Sadeq Ghotbzade a close aide of Khomeini and a foreign minister during the hostage crisis and Ebrahim Yazdi, foreign minister during Bazergan the first prime minister, where you forget to talk about.
Ghotbzadeh tried to stage a coup against Khomeini after only a few months to take power on behalf of the CIA but it was defeated where later he was executed.
Iran from the beginning was a US target to be defeated at any cost because the US did not want any distraction from the status quo since Khomeini did not allow people like Chalabi or Kennan Makiya to take over.
How do you expect the Iranian revolution flourishes into full democracy when your government for the last 33 years brought nothing but sabotage, propaganda, terrorism, sanctions, assassinations, economic strangulation, cyber terrorism against Iran which still continues. How does a country like Iran can survive against these crimes against humanity.
Payam Akhavan that you work with in Iran Tribune is a member of Halifax security apparatus, working with people like Ehud Barak to bring ‘regime change’.
http://jonbashekhordad.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/barak.jpg
The US From the beginning is following a policy of DESTABILIZATION AND PARTITION of Iran where NO IRANIAN WILL ACCEPT AT ANY COST. As you write:
{There is no doubt that the United States encouraged Saddam Hussein to attack Iran in 1980, hoping at least to detach the oil province of Kuzistan from the country, and possibly even toppling the Khomeini government.}
This view is correct. What I don’t understand is that although you have this kind of information yet you are cooperating with “Iran Tribunal”, funded by NED, led by Payam Akhavan, a ‘human right’ activist and NED agent who received more than$ 1000000 from the CIA to establish ‘document center’ in New Heaven and another NED agent, Laden Boroumand from the Boroumand Foundation in Washington where has received thousands of dollars from NED (CIA) for regime change.
http://www.shoah.org.uk/2012/10/04/iran-tribunal-to-be-held-in-west-exposed-by-iranian-dissident-as-a-zionist-pro-imperial-front/
The ‘Iran Tribunal’ is yet another tool in the hand of war mongers to bring ‘crimes against humanity’ charge against Iran at the end of this month to fool the public for more aggression against nation of Iran. This charge best fits US, Israel, Canada, Britain, Turkey, and France, where Payam Akhavan tries to ignore.
The ‘Iran Tribunal’ is dominated by the members of Mujahedin, MEK, led by Payam Akhavan who has given his services to the empire for many years. Payam Akhavan is associated with the members of Israel Lobby who were active on behalf of MEK, the terrorist organization, to be taken off the terrorist list, Such as Dershowitz and Erwin Cotler in Canada.
Payam Akhavan, a criminal lawyer, was a key figure in the design of illegal sanctions against Iran.
He also has signed a petition against Iranian leaders under “The Danger of a Nuclear, Genocidal and Rights-Violating Iran: The “Responsibility to Prevent” Petition” along with mongers like Cotler, Dershowitz, Nazanin Jam, the wife of Peter McKay, the Canadian minister of war who has recently massacred more than 40000 people in Libya through NATO, Aznar, Foud Ajami and many more war mongers.
http://irwincotler.liberal.ca/responsibility-to-prevent-petition/
‘The Canadians for Justice and peace in the Middle East’, CJPME, has written a critic of this petition . They wrote:
“The Danger of a Genocidal and Nuclear Iran: A Responsibility to Prevent Petition” is a one-sided campaign to demonize and ostracize Iran. The petition and Mr. Cotler’s self-appointed diplomatic offensive will undermine efforts at dialog in the Middle East, and will only serve to radicalize and polarize people’s sentiments…. In light of its poor referencing, its utilization of questionable sources, its reliance on non-literal translations, its manipulation of statements and its factual distortions, this PETITION IS NEITHER SERIOUS NOR BALANCED.”
Iran is a victim of terrorism and propaganda where people of the world must take a stand against war mongers including Payam Akhavan, Cotler, Dershowitz, and MEK. US and Turkey, a US client state that Mr. Falk has ‘admiration’ for! must be condemned for their aggression against Syria and Iran.
Mr. Falk, your words and actions DO NOT MATCH. What are doing in “Iran Tribunal”, a tool of Zionism and imperialism, like ICC, against Iran?
It is not surprising that Mr. Falk goes labels the Iranian election ‘fraud’ or is supporting the NED engineered ”opposition green” or go against Gaddafi, Assad, Saddam, like the US, yet call himself not in agreement with the US policy.
To confuse and fool the readers, he writes with fork tongue. This style of writing, to some extent, can satisfy both camps, but most important weaken the anti war front to mobilize against US policy.
Mr. Falk has written number of articles in support of US Trojan horse, Turkey, and against Assad who is supported by more than 58 percent of Syrian population regardless of their ethnic or religious divide. Can you say the same thing about the occupiers of the WH or the members of the Congress?
Please read Mr. Falk’s response to a comment at Richardfalk.wordpress.com, about the destructive role is being played by US and its client state, Turkey, in Syria.
Dear monalisa:
You are ever wise! I find Syria too complex and opaque to pretend to understand, although I grieve for the people.
I am in Istanbul, and yesterday listened to the Turkish Foreign
Minister give a very convincing account of the principled basis of the Turkish response to Syria and the Arab upheavals more generally.
with warm wishes,
Ricahrd
It is natural that Mr. Falk as a member of THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS goes against Libya, Syria or Iran, the targeted countries of the “New American Century” project toward “world government” where Mr. Falk supports.
Therefore, it is not surprising to see Mr. Falk works with other ‘lawyers’ who worked with ICC, a western tool against weaker states, to serve the empire’s need to construct ‘the new Middle East’ to serves US/Israel interests against the population of the region playing Turkey against the regional states. Mr. Falk frequenctly goes to Turkey, a client state.
http://www.irantribunal.com/Eng/Committee.html
Richard Falk is supporting ‘Iran Tribunal’ along with Payam Akhavan, close to the Zionist government of Stephen Harper, and violator of Native people’s human rights, and Israel lobby, Irwin Cotler, to bring baseless charge ‘crime against humanity’ against the Iranian goverment to wipe MEK terrorists activities off the map and present is as a ‘victim’ of the Iranian government.
The MEK members in cooperation with Saddam and US staged a military attack from Iraq against Iran at the end of the Iran-Iraq ceasefire to topple the government where many of MEK terrorists were either killed or captured.
http://www.cpgb.org.uk/home/weekly-worker/932/credibility-drains-away
Now, ‘Iran Tribunal’ NED funded dominated by the MEK members is trying to show that the Iranian government has committed ‘war crimes against humanity’ therefore, is ‘danger to world peace’ where we have recently heard it from the mouth of Canadian foreign minister, John Bird, the ‘reason’ behind embassy closure, because Payam Akhavan along with Israel lobby to establish this lie as ‘fact’ for demonization purposes. To do so, Akhavan is relying on ‘documentation center’ in New Heaven established and funded by US governmnent(CIA) in 2004, led by Payam Akhavan and NED funded Boroumand Foundation, along with ‘stories’ told by MEK members to condemn the Iranian government.
The ‘Iran Human Rights Documentation Center’ writes:
{The Bush administration allocated millions of dollars for pro-democracy activities, and the IHRDC was an early benefi ciary. An outgrowth of the Griffi n Center for Health & Human Rights, the center was established in 2004 with a $1 million grant from the State Department’s Human Rights and Democracy Fund to document human-rights abuses in Iran since the 1979 revolution, when Islamic leader Ayatollah Khomeini deposed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.}
It is amazing how a learned person like Mr.Falk did not see what was coming to Iran in 1978….it also shows once again how LITTLE do the American academics,politicians, experts,military etc know and understand the Middle East and it’s peoples.Oh-it includes, unfortunately, most if not all American presidents.That is why American policy in the Middle east and in the moslim world is in shambles.
Re: Iran-I knew some Iranians during the pre-Homeini times and they were ALL very satisfied with the shah.As for the secret service under shah, does anyone really believe that today’s regime and it’s secret police in Iran is any BETTER?
Finally- a devil whom You know is preferable to a devil whom You don’t know yet;an old proverb.Iranian people wanted a change and by God they got it.But WHAT one!
A donkey’s nutrition is grass, leaves,straw and such;one must not give a donkey a tart with whipped cream topping..
Re; a comment from “free bird”-did this free bird know that Irans declares openly,officially,publicly,at every possible forum including the UN general assembly that it’s supreme goal is to wipe Israel off the map and so achieve a “judenrein”world?But of course that free bird knows it-the whole world does!Which means that this free bird is a virulent antisemite.Moreover he turns everything upside -down by calling a terrorist,criminal regime of Iran being “threatened” and all those who oppose that criminal state he calls them criminals.
Look-free bird, Israel will survive all it’s haters just like it survived Pharaoh,Hitler, Stalin,Arafat and a few more evil species…as for wiping Israel of the map,I will quote Stalin: let them try”.but,although being a bunch of criminals, I guess The regime in Teheran knows full well what will happen if they try;namely, there will be nothing left of Iran on the map except a white blotch.