Democracy in Iran:  So Far, So Good [Archives:2000/08/Focus]

archive
January 21 2000

Common Sense 
By: Hassan Al-Haifi 
Amidst the confusion and mayhem immediately following one of the most bizarre and intriguing revolutions that has ever erupted so it seemed then the Iranian religious leaders (Islam does not have a clergy, so it is incorrect for the Western press to call them clerics or clergy) were able to produce a masterpiece document that has very significant implications, not just for Iran, but for the Moslem World, and maybe the world at large as well. 
When the Iranian Constitution was just issued (1980), this writer read an Arabic version of the document.  I was awestruck by the foresight and legal expertise that the document reflected and by the progressive flavor, which the document was characterized by.  Moreover what came out to be more impressive than anything else was that the Iranian Constitution seemed almost like a carbon copy of the Constitution of the United States of America, in more ways than one.  One would almost think that John Madison and Benjamin Franklin were there with the drafters of the Iranian Constitution as constitutional consultants (not paid for of course under any technical assistance program of donors headed by the World Bank).  At the time, I recall discussing the document with some friends, in which I said:  If the Iranians stick to this document and defend it to the end, this Iranian Revolution is for real and is going to be around with us for a long time to come.  By, God they defended it and they stuck to it faithfully.
Interestingly enough, this observer also once recalled reading that Benjamin Franklin once stated, in essence, that Islams contributions to civilization is insurmountable, especially in the areas of human rights and science, or something to that effect.  It is therefore not surprising that much of what is incorporated in the US Constitution is a practical application of the dogma that the Religion of Islam is all about.  It should also not be surprising that the Iranian Constitution should embody a lot of conceptual and practical elements contained in the US Constitution.  No matter; whether by accident or arrangement, even if we assume that the framers of the Iranian Constitution merely copied what others have done which is highly unlikely, to their credit would be the fact that they only copied the very best.  It would be a sign of ignorance to think that the United States Constitution can be rivaled by any other existing constitution for its simplicity and sustainability.  It would be a mistake also to undermine the intelligence and foresight of the framers of the Iranian Constitution, for it is far more than clear now that they knew what they wanted for their country and they knew what their countrymen deserved from their leaders.  After 20 years of experience with the Iranian Revolution, in the wake of pressing tests, it would appear that for all practical purposes, it is here to stay and it is here to present an interesting model of popular will and determination, for most of the deprived populations of the Islamic world from the Atlantic to the far reaches of the Pacific, and the Third World in general.
What is going on in Iran is growing political maturity and a steadfast democratic society that is baffling to its friends and foes alike.  There is indeed a generous display of democracy that has been put on the plate of the Iranian people and they are enjoying it to the last spoonful. 
Ayatollah Rohullah Al-Khomeini had relied on the masses of the country to enable him to oust the ungodly regime of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, and they were not at all reluctant to follow his cassette taped messages from Paris to tread on the regime of the last of the Persian Emperors, who lived on a lavish ego trip at the expense of his people.  It would seem then appropriate that their sacrifices should not go in vain, and that this Revolution, the Ayatollah called for, should be a lot more than the coups and countercoups that have characterized Islamic and Third World countries, which have offered their people nothing to live for except to await the next Decree No. 1 blaring out of their Radios and TVs.  Accordingly, he orchestrated the formation of a regime that would ultimately affirm that the ownership and benefits of the Iranian Revolution should indefinitely rest with the people of Iran.  The drafters of the Iranian Constitution apparently knew this and were not about to let their people down.
Anyone following up on the Iranian situation, as it stands now, is bound to be impressed by the astounding display of dynamic political activity on a broad scale, which is characterized by widespread popular participation, with the women having a real and active role in the political process of the country.  Surely this is Islam in its truest manifestations and surely this is real progress, in any dictionary.  Moreover one cannot fail to see this dynamic political vitality carried out in a smooth systematic manner underscored by civilized behavior on the part of the government and the governed alike.  In addition the widely active civil society is clearly demonstrating its presence in both human welfare and in the political arena. 
The body politic that makes up the Iranian regime has taken on the form of a state that is comprised of a well structured institutional framework, with the right degree of empowerment spread out evenly and neatly among the different elements that make up this regime.  This allows the institutions of government to carry out their roles effectively with a high sense of responsibility, yet without infringing upon the rights and powers of the other institutions in the regime; and more important without forgetting that they are governed by Law and eventually accountable to the people of Iran.
Obviously, there are a lot of social obstacles that Iran has yet to overcome, in view of the very chronic ills inherited from the pre-revolution era of dictatorial rule and wanton exploitation by local and Western narrow-minded interests.  Such ills surely cannot be obliterated with a syringe or a pill, but take a long time to overcome.  But the Iranians leaders are not ignoring this reality and the Reform Platform of Ayatollah Khatemi is geared to underscore the need for alleviating and eventually removing these ills.  It is the only road for Iran to pursue for the moment, if Iran is to continue manifesting itself as a true democratic society to be envied by the people of all the dictatorships and family dynasties that surround it.  It appears then, that the democratic aura prevailing in Iran is bound to lead to putting Iran on the right track to deal with the shortcomings in the society, with a reliance on widespread participatory approaches in all aspects of community life, which renders the regime free to deal with the greater national issues of the day.  Accordingly one would expect that, over time, the Iranians will be able to pass the test, as they have passed so many difficult tests in the critical early years of the Revolution, and would be able to streamline the operations of their other social fabric.  This would go a long way towards enhancing the standards of living of the Iranian people and their welfare and towards upgrading their already impressive educational and cultural output.
As the Iranians continue to pass the test of time and illustrate that the Islamic regime in Iran conforms to modern government framework, to a considerable extent, with large doses of real democracy and popular political vitality, it would seem inappropriate that the West would have any real reasons for taking on a prejudiced stand against the regime, especially when considering that the marks for good behavior and proper interaction with the international community have been more than satisfactory.  Any support for anything other than the present situation in Iran would act severely to destroy meaningful gains the Iranian people have acquired and are bound to be countered with a determined stand by the Iranians to preserve these gains.  Apart from Israel, on one in the region is fearful of the Irani or their Islamic Revolution, except the rulers, who understandably, fear that the fever for democratic rule could catch on with their subjects.  What Israel is really afraid of is that for once, they are seeing a Moslem State sticking to dogma, but proving that dogma alone is no guarantee to progress and self-esteem.  It is freedom and hard work (which are real manifestations of Moslem dogma anyway) that gets one to progress and it appears that the Iranians understand this very well.  One would hope that the other states in the region could also be so enlightened.
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