Popularity or Populism

Accepting the fact that Iran revolution was a popular political movement, it seems necessary to define the real meaning of popularity after about 30 years of the beginning of this revolution.

Popular revolutions are defined as those political movements which are mainly focused on collapsing a totalitarian regime and giving power to government of the people, by the people, and for the people. But it has been proved practically that the meaning of popularity is either unknown or ambiguous in contemporary Iran. Here I would try to illustrate the tiny difference between "democracy", "populism" and "demagogy". Any analysis concerning such an issue should inevitably follow these three questions:

1) Should a democratic politician behave like ordinary people?

In other words, does a popular politician have (morally) this right to wear ordinary clothes just like people and use slang or folk literature in his/her formal speeches to prove the civility of his/her government? Every now and then we see in news that Iranian politicians pay no attention to diplomatic prestige. The members of the parliament sit on the ground and presidents avoid any make up or chic suits.

On the other hand no one can say is this a populist attitude that people impose on the government or is it vice versa. Ten years ago in a unique presidential election, the majority of Iranians voted for Mr. Khatami simply because he was a good-looking well-dressed mullah, but in the last presidential election (two years ago) the same people voted for Ahmadinejad who prefer simplicity in appearance.

2) Should be a direct relationship between people and government in a democratic society?

Although having direct relationship with people is one of the first principles of any democratic government, the experience shows that after elections in such societies, the voters prefer to give the total control of affair to their elected ones. The important point is that this sudden gap between people and government is usually filled by civil movements (and rarely with referendums). But in Iran it seems quite contrary. In a country where most of the social movements are suppressed by the government, the main propaganda of the government is direct relation with people. President Ahmadinejad travels to the villages and gathers thousands of letters directly form peasants. Facing such a paradoxical attitude, one might doubt that a democratic popular government has slipped into a demagogic policy.

3) What is the main criterion for decision-making in a popular government?

Popular government believes that the demands of the people are more important than any other criteria or political mechanism. But this simplified priority might lead the society to simple-mindedness and this attitude can switch the government into a demagogic institution. Last presidential election of Iran was full of candidates whose main slogan was giving 50 dollars monthly to any citizen of the country and bringing the income of oil export to people's houses! It seems that Iranian politicians are going to sacrifice the destiny of this nation to gain popularity and heroism.

I think the tiny difference of democratic governments with populist or demagogic ones appears within three mentioned questions. A populist government is always pride of finding anti-people conspiracies (a method that clearly can be seen in Iran). In such a regime any protester who is against the tribal system of the government might be boycotted with such labels as disloyal, spy or mercenary. In more serious situations s/he might be simply "evaporated". Such a populist method can be seen in the policy of Senator McCarthy in the United States especially in 1945; a dreadful method of controlling people by cheating and deceiving them with their fears and believes (McCarthyism).

A populist government has no choice but using people's simplicity and their prejudices in order to survive. Here, I want to put forward this question that shouldn't democratic revolutions neglect their popularity and emphasize on the very notion of civility? Doing so they might be accused of absolutism, but at least they are highly immune from dangers of populism and demagoguism.

Ecstasy without a cause

Congratulations everybody! It's New Year holiday here in Iran. Everyone is happy. The only problem is that no one knows why s/he should be happy!

The price of gas is going to be double next year and the economists predict a tough year for Iranians. On the other hand, the UN Security Council has decided (with the majority of votes) to increase the pressure of sanctions on Iran. The number of tourists to Iran has decreased because of insecurity (or image of insecurity) in the region. The good news is still going on. The publishers have decided to ban the Tehran international book fair (which is regularly held in May) to show their protest against Ahmadinejad's cultural policy. The coming year will be full of political troubles, economical suffering and cultural difficulties. But why no one cares?

I don't know what could be the reason? When I look at the history of Iran through last 15 centuries, I see this cheerful and glad nation never has had a reason to be happy of. I mean, there has always been a paradoxical consent in Iranians. This nation has the unique capacity of adapting itself with all unpleasant events and enjoying them.

Maybe this is the fatalist spirit of Iranian that makes them always be content with what they have. Maybe it is the epicurean attitude of this nation which evokes them to "seize their time" and enjoy it anyway. Maybe it is the religious learning of Islam which has always urged them to look at the miserable life and be thankful to God since "the situation could be worse than this!"

Last night I went out to stroll in a park. The park was full of happy families, sitting on the grass or benches, enjoying the fresh air (I'd rather to say cold!). The loudspeakers on the trees were broadcasting the radio news (!), filling the air with the government's achievements in tackling unemployment and poverty. All through my stroll, I had to listen to statistics and numbers. It was a terrible night. After 20 minutes I finally decided to return home and enjoy listening to music or something. On my way, I passed over a dozen of young boys who were smoking hookah and singing their favorite songs. I should confess that in that moment I really envied their happiness. The bubbling noise of their hookah and the voice of their songs were acted as the best dam against the raid of the outer world.

That's the Iranian way of living! Sing not to listen. Laugh to hide your tears. Buy to forget your misfortune. That's the Iranian way. I should adapt myself to it if I want to survive.

God bless you, Osama Bin Laden

Joan François poured another glass of Vodka for himself, wondering how this naughty Absolute bottle has found her way inside Islamic republic of Iran. It was a hot night and every now and then, the lazy wind that came in through the window made us dizzier.

I asked Joan how he thought about Iran before landing in Tehran airport. He replied frankly (thanks to 46% pure alcohol) that he thought Iranians ride camels in the streets. "So you should be quite shocked seeing all these Peugeot here?" I asked. "Your government has sold us more than 7 million Peugeot and still said nothing about Iranian people to you. Is it a cultural sanction?"

photo: Mahgame Parvane
to order this photo send an email to me


Sometimes it is quite interesting why Europeans and Americans view on Iran goes no further than one thousand and one nights' movies. Mc Luhan may talk about his global village, but it seems that the east and west contact has ceased after Crusades. Of course some tiny interactions still exist; The people of the east are fascinated in Coca Cola and McDonald and the American soldiers in Vietnam or Iraq have introduced opium and some others Asian drugs to their families and neighbors. But these have nothing to do with global village, dialogue among civilizations or things like that. Most of the habitants of the west prefer to imagine eastern countries as in James Bonds movies; heroic horse-riders of Mojahidin who fight against Soviet Union or east block government. (No one cares these Mojahidin are now the first enemy of the western States!)

Joan François returned to his country a week later. The process of finding a job inside Iran (and by a job I mean teaching French language of course) failed. By the way, he had a wife and two children waiting for him and his unemployment salary. About a month later Joan François sent me an email. It was at the middle of Iran nuclear crisis. He emailed "You have the entire world looking at you - how does it feel?" Well, in a world whose people don't know anything about us, we should celebrate few times we are the first news of the world.

Sometimes I feel we should take care of this Osama Bin Laden, as our very last relics to resort to. We should keep him in a highly guarded museum with laser lights on him, because it is the only antithesis of us against Hollywood culture. Eastern habitants of the world are happy deep inside their heart that there is a Bin Laden in this goddamned continent to make them subject of everyday chats, even if they are the very first victims of him.

O Google, Shall thou find me

Now, thanks to "Iraq war" and "Iran nuclear issue", people of the world know the difference between these two countries. Now, thanks to Google, Iran is one of the top searches of the world. Now, thanks to our president Ahmadinejad, we are the breaking news of every agency and channel. Congratulations fellows! The spotlight has turned to us at last.

There is no doubt that Iran has suddenly turned out to be the most interesting topic of the world (After Britney Spears I mean). There are a huge number of documentary makers who are waiting at the boundaries of this country to be let in. There are many peeping eyes who want to see what is going on inside this labyrinth. It seems that due to White House policy this country is going to be known to every single creature breathing in this planet. So why do I write these lines? In this weblog I am to profile contemporary Iranian society and culture in all its richness and complexity, offering viewers portraits of a nation that are far removed from the clichéd images often associated with it. I think this country really needs some explanations. I am just a child of revolution and I have been a long long time inside this labyrinth searching for truth; the tiny truth of Iranian contemporary society which vanishes every time you think you have grasped it.

This weblog is a narration of personal stories intended to help its readers to understand the 'enigma inside a puzzle' that is Iran -one of the most dynamic and complex nations in the world today. This weblog is the private diary of a journalist who writes his unpublishable columns inside a highly censored country. It is the story of a holy place in which angels fear to tread.

P.S. I have named this blog after Arthure Koestler book, Spanish Testament, and will use the same method of journalism in presenting the real under surface identity of Iran.