Interview with Dr. Banuazizi about the Green Movement

Mohammad Tahavori: In comparison with other movements in contemporary Iranian history, including the movement that led to the Islamic Revolution, what do you consider to be the major characteristics and distinctive features of the Green Movement?

Ali Banuazizi: I believe several essential characteristics distinguish the Green Movement from other political movements of the past several decades in Iran:

1. The non-ideological nature of the Green Movement: Unlike other sociopolitical movements in Iran, which, broadly speaking, were based on such prevalent ideologies of the twentieth century as anti-imperialism, nationalism, Islamism, or socialism, the Green Movement does not bear any direct relation to any of these ideologies.

2. The youth and urban middle classes as the principal social base of the movement: The other characteristic of the Green Movement has to do with the predominant role of young people and the urban middle classes in it. Although the movement has by no means been limited to young people, there is no doubt that the youth, and particularly university students, have played a key role in it. In this regard, it is important to keep a couple of points in mind. First, according to the available statistics, currently some 3.5 million young Iranians are enrolled in universities and other institutions of higher learning, i.e., of every 20 Iranians, one is in a post-secondary educational institution. Second, in nearly all political movements of the past five or six decades, including the oil nationalization movement under Dr. Mosaddeq, the various opposition movements under the Shah, and the 1979 revolution, students have always played a pioneering role. The only exception may be the 15th of Khordad movement of 1342 [June 1963], but even in that movement the young seminarians [tollab] made up the bulk of the protesters.

3. Spontaneity: The other characteristic of the Green Movement has been its spontaneity. From its very onset, i.e., immediately after the announcement of the preliminary results of the presidential poll, individuals and small groups of protesters poured into the streets without any prior organization or leadership, creating a new movement whose goal was best defined with the slogan, “Where is my vote?” In subsequent months, too, as the movement’s demands became more radical and daring, still the protesters themselves have been the ones who have continued to define the movement’s slogans and tactics in response to changing conditions and opportunities. In general, at least in the initial stages of the movement, the role of the leadership was to support the protesters by further articulating their demands. This style of “leadership” is unprecedented in the history of Iran’s political opposition movements. Undoubtedly, the use of the modern tools of communications, such as cell phones, Facebook, Twittter, etc., greatly facilitated the spread the news, the protesters’ ability to communicate among themselves and with the outside world, and thus significantly increase the reach and impact of the movement.

4.Non-violence: Refraining from the use of violence—even in confrontations in which the security forces reacted with violence—has been another characteristic of the Green Movement. In my view, adopting a non-violent strategy by the movement has been one of the main reasons for its success. In any violent confrontation between the two sides, the security forces, with all the tools of violence and the enormous resources at their disposal, are most likely to gain the upper hand. Furthermore, the use of violence by the opposition, would give the regime the excuse to justify its repressive measures, both domestically and internationally.

5. The pluralist nature of the movement: The inclusiveness and the pluralist nature of the Green Movement, both in relation to different groups inside Iran and to the politically active Iranian diaspora, is another of its positive features. At least so far, the movement has managed to restrict monopolistic ideological tendencies within itself.

6. The quest for freedom and democracy: Since its very inception, one of the most distinctive demands of the Green Movement has been free and honest elections and respect for human and civil rights of the citizens. This demand has been hailed the world over and has even inspired people in other countries. For example, it is said that in Egypt, many political activists have wondered openly as to why there has not been a similarly broad-based protest movement among their own politically discontented fellow citizens. A very similar emphasis on anti-despotism and freedom was, also, one of the key features of Constitutional movement in Iran over a century ago.

MT: Which one of the characteristics that you have mentioned do you believe to be an advantage for the Green Movement in comparison with other sociopolitical movements of the past one hundred years?

AB: In my opinion, the emphasis on freedom and democracy is the most politically advantageous feature of the Green Movement. Since after the collapse of the communist order in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, as well as the triumph of democratic movements in several Latin American, Asian, and African countries, no other political demand in today’s world has the attraction and legitimacy of democracy and respect for human rights. In this context, I would like to quote briefly from a talk given  28 Azar 1388 (Dec 19,2009) by Iran’s former president, Mohammad Khatami . After stressing the importance of divine and religious values in society and politics, he states, “…the changes that have taken place in human consciousness, have led to the acceptance of democracy as the most desirable and least costly way of managing human societies. Naturally, Muslims, too, cannot separate themselves from this great human achievement.” [fardanews.com/fa/pages/print.php?cid=98548]

MT: What lesson form the past movement can serve as a guide for the Green Movement?

AB: Perhaps one of the most important lessons to be learned from the history of political movements in Iran and other societies is the need for a developmental phase during which a movement’s goals can be better understood and critically examined by its followers and the society at large. Only then would people be able to evaluate its slogans and goals in an informed and realistic manner as a remedy for their social ills and a response to their aspirations. In the case of the Green Movement, its goals and strategies for change have not been clearly and positively articulated as yet, and we still don’t know to what extent the leaders of the movement are supportive of the protesters’ various demands and how they intend to bring about the desired changes in the political system. If spontaneity has been one of the positive features of the Green Movement up to now, the real challenge for those who have been hailed as its leaders by the vast majority of the opposition is to try to institutionalize the movement and define its goals more clearly and realistically.

MT: Some analysts have considered the Green Movement as the continuation of the reform movement and see it as pursuing the same objectives. Notwithstanding the validity of these views, there is still the question of whether the trajectory of this movement is toward the reform of the system or whether it could bring about a revolutionary change. How do you see the direction of the movement?

AB: In my view, the political spectrum of the Green Movement is both broader and more radical than the reformist movement of the last decade. If the reformist movement was intent to pursue its goals and political program within the framework of the existing laws and institutions, the Green Movement has been moving gradually toward a demand for fundamental changes in the constitutional and legal foundation of the Islamic Republic. In addition to the demand for free elections and civil liberties, it seems that the idea of the “absolute rule of the supreme jurist” [velayat-e faqih-e motlaqeh] is no longer acceptable to the majority of Iranians, and it is unlikely that without a revision of this section of the constitution, the current movement could satisfy the demands of  a major segments of the Iranian society.

MT: What factors, in your view, are likely to change the direction of the Green Movement?

AB: I believe the future direction and developments in the Green Movement will depend largely on the reactions by the regime. The continuation of the present policy of violent repression of all forms of dissent and opposition by the government could only lead to the further radicalization of the movement. And in that case, a revolutionary upheaval or the rise of a military dictatorship with fascistic tendencies are the two most likely outcome