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My personal reflections on current issues, culture, and of course economics!
Friday, February 25, 2005
Some comments, ideas, ...
It has been sometime since I have posted something here. Truth is that I have been very busy with my dissertation. Here is a piece by Mr. Nabavi that I really enjoyed. I love it when someone writes without mincing words.
He correctly points to some serious shortcomings of the Iranian society. I would attribute most, if not all, to the fact that Iranian society has not achieved modernism (actually has failed to modernize for over a century now, despite all attempts made), but has lost most of its traditions as well. The resulting state of flux has created a quagmire. There have been some instances of progress, but many failures.
A couple of weeks back, Islamic Republic celebrated the 26th anniversary of the 1979 revolution. After a quarter of a century, we can confidently say that it was one of the most dramatic failures of late 20th century. And in truth, everyone is to blame: the monarchists including the person of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, for stupidly trying to repress and modernize, claiming that they have found a “third way” to keep despotism and attain modernity at the same time. The nationalists are to blame because they failed to overcome their hatred for the Shah and think logically. They lived, and many of them still live, in 1950s. They never got over the Coup of 1953. That single event, and seeking vengeance for that event, has defined the identity of the Iranian center right. Actually democracy or liberalism has a very low weight in their political rhetoric. The Islamists are to blame, because they never understood that their medieval view of governance and society is doomed from the start in the modern world. Their incompetence on all levels is the major cause of the mess that is Iranian society today. As usual, the Left got it all wrong. They thought (most of all the Tudeh party), that they can get a piggy back to power by collaborating with Islamists, a la Russian Bolshevik party in 1917. They forgot the minor problem that Islamists had no intention of handing the power to anyone, and had far better organization compared to leftists.
But the major blame still goes to a nation that fails to modernize. The leaders and activists are products of their society. If the quality of production is abysmal, how do you expect the product to deliver roses? Iranian society has been "modernizing" since 1906 and still does not have any tangible results to show. And for once, colonialsim or Imperialism is not to blame. Iran never became a colony, or Western powers never had as much influence in Iran as they had in say, Chile, Korea or Taiwan.
Let’s start with the remainder of monarchists. Believe me, there are still some out there. Those over 55 years old still can find no fault with the monarchy. They live the glories of their imagined past, usually boasting about what they never were. There are a few younger activists. I have to say that some of them are level headed and at least produce the correct sound bites. They claim to believe in liberal democracy, free markets, separation of faith and state, and human rights. My problem is that then why bother with monarchy? Say that we are a liberal party and be done with it. There is also the lingering problem of those fossils who still dream about punishing the “ungrateful and rebellious subjects of His Imperial Majesty, King of Kings and Sun of Aryans” (read they want revenge on average Iranian citizens). That makes you think which planet are these guys from!
If your liberals just pay lip service to liberalism and free enterprise, if not outright denouncing it, you have a problem. Look at the intellectual output of the so-called nationalist movement. Have you found anything? I am not surprised. There is none. It is frightening. Look at this example. Can you please tell me what this guy is saying? The rest are not any better.
If the majority of Marxist activists in the country have never actually read anything from Marx, you have problem. Let’s face it, the limit of exposure of our leftist intellectuals to political thought was reading a couple of cheap socialist realist novels. How many converts did make their minds after reading “the Capital” versus those who took the leap after reading something from Gorky or Sholokhov? How many actually bothered to read anything serious, and of those who did, how many went beyond the Bible-study? Even the more modern, European style types just parrot words that they clearly do not understand.
Don’t even get me started on Islamists. These guys have an unusual ability to count all defeats as victory. There is nothing wrong with them. They are perfect. If anything goes wrong (and it often does), it is due to some chicken-brained, far-fetched, improbable and impossible conspiracy theory involving the US, Israel, the Jews, Freemasons, or the Lucifer himself. Let’s leave it at that.
Now you may ask, and you are right to do so, where Mohammad stands? I have criticized everyone. But what do I have to say?
Here is a short answer, and I will write down a longer answer soon: I am a liberal (in classical sense of it). I believe in personal freedoms, primacy of individual over group, freedom of trade and enterprise, freedom of religion, association, expression, and political action. I believe in democracy with firm and independent judicial oversight, so that the majority can not oppress the minority. I believe in small government (and by that I mean really small and limited). I am against discrimination (positive or negative) based on race, gender, ethnicity, language, religious beliefs, national origin and sexual orientation. I am a firm believer in separation of faith and state. I believe in merit vs. favors, inheritance, and group affiliations. And last but not least, I believe a system that supports and enshrines similar values will help my country of birth.
Share your thoughts and ideas please.
He correctly points to some serious shortcomings of the Iranian society. I would attribute most, if not all, to the fact that Iranian society has not achieved modernism (actually has failed to modernize for over a century now, despite all attempts made), but has lost most of its traditions as well. The resulting state of flux has created a quagmire. There have been some instances of progress, but many failures.
A couple of weeks back, Islamic Republic celebrated the 26th anniversary of the 1979 revolution. After a quarter of a century, we can confidently say that it was one of the most dramatic failures of late 20th century. And in truth, everyone is to blame: the monarchists including the person of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, for stupidly trying to repress and modernize, claiming that they have found a “third way” to keep despotism and attain modernity at the same time. The nationalists are to blame because they failed to overcome their hatred for the Shah and think logically. They lived, and many of them still live, in 1950s. They never got over the Coup of 1953. That single event, and seeking vengeance for that event, has defined the identity of the Iranian center right. Actually democracy or liberalism has a very low weight in their political rhetoric. The Islamists are to blame, because they never understood that their medieval view of governance and society is doomed from the start in the modern world. Their incompetence on all levels is the major cause of the mess that is Iranian society today. As usual, the Left got it all wrong. They thought (most of all the Tudeh party), that they can get a piggy back to power by collaborating with Islamists, a la Russian Bolshevik party in 1917. They forgot the minor problem that Islamists had no intention of handing the power to anyone, and had far better organization compared to leftists.
But the major blame still goes to a nation that fails to modernize. The leaders and activists are products of their society. If the quality of production is abysmal, how do you expect the product to deliver roses? Iranian society has been "modernizing" since 1906 and still does not have any tangible results to show. And for once, colonialsim or Imperialism is not to blame. Iran never became a colony, or Western powers never had as much influence in Iran as they had in say, Chile, Korea or Taiwan.
Let’s start with the remainder of monarchists. Believe me, there are still some out there. Those over 55 years old still can find no fault with the monarchy. They live the glories of their imagined past, usually boasting about what they never were. There are a few younger activists. I have to say that some of them are level headed and at least produce the correct sound bites. They claim to believe in liberal democracy, free markets, separation of faith and state, and human rights. My problem is that then why bother with monarchy? Say that we are a liberal party and be done with it. There is also the lingering problem of those fossils who still dream about punishing the “ungrateful and rebellious subjects of His Imperial Majesty, King of Kings and Sun of Aryans” (read they want revenge on average Iranian citizens). That makes you think which planet are these guys from!
If your liberals just pay lip service to liberalism and free enterprise, if not outright denouncing it, you have a problem. Look at the intellectual output of the so-called nationalist movement. Have you found anything? I am not surprised. There is none. It is frightening. Look at this example. Can you please tell me what this guy is saying? The rest are not any better.
If the majority of Marxist activists in the country have never actually read anything from Marx, you have problem. Let’s face it, the limit of exposure of our leftist intellectuals to political thought was reading a couple of cheap socialist realist novels. How many converts did make their minds after reading “the Capital” versus those who took the leap after reading something from Gorky or Sholokhov? How many actually bothered to read anything serious, and of those who did, how many went beyond the Bible-study? Even the more modern, European style types just parrot words that they clearly do not understand.
Don’t even get me started on Islamists. These guys have an unusual ability to count all defeats as victory. There is nothing wrong with them. They are perfect. If anything goes wrong (and it often does), it is due to some chicken-brained, far-fetched, improbable and impossible conspiracy theory involving the US, Israel, the Jews, Freemasons, or the Lucifer himself. Let’s leave it at that.
Now you may ask, and you are right to do so, where Mohammad stands? I have criticized everyone. But what do I have to say?
Here is a short answer, and I will write down a longer answer soon: I am a liberal (in classical sense of it). I believe in personal freedoms, primacy of individual over group, freedom of trade and enterprise, freedom of religion, association, expression, and political action. I believe in democracy with firm and independent judicial oversight, so that the majority can not oppress the minority. I believe in small government (and by that I mean really small and limited). I am against discrimination (positive or negative) based on race, gender, ethnicity, language, religious beliefs, national origin and sexual orientation. I am a firm believer in separation of faith and state. I believe in merit vs. favors, inheritance, and group affiliations. And last but not least, I believe a system that supports and enshrines similar values will help my country of birth.
Share your thoughts and ideas please.
Comments:
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Hi,
I beleive that is what an open mind person from our generation may think.well, if we think of peace, friendship, equity and a mature society idependent of racism, it may conflict with some of our relegious taught.that's what I think and as long as we are tight to thoes taught we may never pass our dark ages.
By the way ,as an old classmate, that was so sweet to read your weblog and some of your articles in Iranian.com. I am mahasti,one of your classmates from beheshti university if you remember...that would be a pleasure if you visit my weblog sometime. My best wishes for you in all stages of life.
cheers,
Makhmalbanoo
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I beleive that is what an open mind person from our generation may think.well, if we think of peace, friendship, equity and a mature society idependent of racism, it may conflict with some of our relegious taught.that's what I think and as long as we are tight to thoes taught we may never pass our dark ages.
By the way ,as an old classmate, that was so sweet to read your weblog and some of your articles in Iranian.com. I am mahasti,one of your classmates from beheshti university if you remember...that would be a pleasure if you visit my weblog sometime. My best wishes for you in all stages of life.
cheers,
Makhmalbanoo
<< Home
