Burst of Light (6)

The victory of the Islamic Revolution provided the ground for public participation of the Iranian nation in the decision makings of the country. The single party system of the Shah had held elections in the waning years of the regime but it was far from democracy and real choice of people.

The Islamic Revolution can be called the starting point of a democratic move, in the real sense of the word, in social, economic and cultural aspects within the framework of constitutional principles. These principles were related to the legal issues of the nation, the right of sovereignty of the nation, choice of different powers, freedom of press, equality of the nation’s rights, equal support before the law, freedom of parties, etc. which would provide an appropriate ground for the growth of popular religious rule. Since the start of the victory of the revolution, the people’s participation was institutionalized through relying on these principles. Of course, the first referendum took place on 12 Farvardin, 1358 in the Iranian calendar in which over 98.2% of the people voted for the Islamic Republic as the system of government in the country. Imam Khomeini said the day before the referendum, “Tomorrow all of you come out and vote. Of course, you are free to vote to anyone you wish.”

This democratic move of people, which was held at the behest of Imam Khomeini, showed to the world that the criterion in the Islamic Revolution is the people’s vote and their choice.

People’s voice

Thus, the Islamic Republic was established from the very start in a way that, according to the constitution, every pillar of the government would be elected directly or indirectly with the people’s vote. Even the leader is elected by the members of the Assembly of Experts who are in turn elected by the people. The Islamic Republic system has been formed on the basis of two principles of republicanism and Islam. Republicanism, according to the democratic systems, means emphasis on popular form of the system.

Omar Alispahic from Bosnia says, “A brief look at the final eras of the Middle Ages (13^th century onwards) and the first century of the advent of modernism indicates a deep turmoil and chaos which is reminiscent of the current state of the global community. The Islamic Revolution of Iran, is an event which is a religious revolution in terms of ideals, mottoes, moving forces, leadership and the ideal horizon it has fixed eyes upon. Iran is a successful experience as a religious revolution relying on the people’s votes.”

Iran’s constitution has been drawn up on the basis of “electoral and parliamentary system”, “council system” and “civil and political freedoms.” Article one of the constitution notes that the type of Iran’s government is “Islamic Republic.” It means that the form of the government is “republic” and the content is “Islamic”; hence the legitimacy of the government is based on two principles: religious values and tenets and people’s election. This article has indeed envisaged the ways of people’s effective presence in formation of every institution of power directly or indirectly.

During the 38 years of the life of the Islamic Revolution approximately every year one election has been held. This clearly shows that referring to the people’s vote is an achievement of political development and materialization of popular system in the Islamic Republic establishment. Ahmad Hatit, an analyst from Lebanon, says, “Popular systems in recent centuries have been the ones that put the will of people as the basis of their practice. But the Islamic Republic has raised a new model of popular rule which in essence shapes the people’s will; yet these people have chosen a framework for themselves which is based on religion and values. Therefore, the Islamic Republic is the system which is founded on people’s will, the people who have adopted materialization of Islamic ideals as their goal. Imam Khomeini from the beginning and after the victory of the revolution holds referendum and this is still repeated in Iran and the people’s votes are effective. This happens while in many countries of the region we see no election or women are denied their right to vote.”

According to the statistics, the situation of the Islamic Republic is better than all other countries in terms of the number of elections held during 38 years and the magnitude of people’s participation. This situation is by far superior to the regional countries. It also surpasses the western countries which vociferously claim to be democratic.  

Today, people in one third of the countries are deprived of the right of determining their own fate. This is evident even in the countries which have a long history of elections. Erica Bobero specializes in politics. She says, “Election is one of the criteria for evaluating democracy in different communities. For the past several decades, the scale of participation has dwindled in the elections in the world. This has worried governments and institutions in charge of holding elections. Different countries try to resort to various methods to persuade their citizens to take part in elections. Even some of the so-called advanced countries have assigned fines for those who do not participate in elections. Belgium, Australia, Bolivia, Egypt and so on can be named as examples where cash fines and denial of some of the social rights will be practiced for those who do not participate in elections.”

But these fines and intensive media propaganda have failed to cause massive turnout of the people in western countries no matter how much they claim to be democratic. For instance, the recent presidential election in the US was held with less than 50% of the eligible people whereas the United States of America styles itself as the symbol of democracy in the world. Furthermore, nearly all of the littoral Arab states of the Persian Gulf, which have close ties with Washington, lack any election system and they are administered by hereditary systems. Arabia, which has been under the yoke of the minority regime of Saud family for almost a century, has set up a counseling assembly since a few years ago. But the fact of the matter is that this assembly is a ceremonial body with no authority to make decisions. Half of the members of this showy body are appointed by the king.

Daily al-Akhbar writes, “The people of Arabia, due to being under the dominance of the medieval al Saud regime, are deprived of the most primary rights and no election is held for choosing leaders and executive officials. In Arabia there is no sign of the elected government, elected parliament, a constitution which is approved by people and, above all, a leader who is elected through people’s role. In short, an absolutely unpopular, undemocratic and despotic regime is ruling over the people where women don’t have even the right of driving in the deserts of the country and if they are seen while driving they will be treated cruelly.”

The neighboring country Bahrain, under the protectorate of the Saudi regime, has the same situation. For instance, the recent parliamentary election was held with almost 18% of the eligible people; despite the announcement of the regime in Manama that those who do not participate in election will face punishments including depravity from social services. Other littoral Arab countries of Persian Gulf have similar conditions.

Election in Iran is a process which complies with the rules and regulations recognized in the constitution and hence will have consequences and official functions in terms of law and politics. The ruling system is legal just through the people’s vote. Attaching importance to the people’s participation in determining their own fate is a great political achievement of the Islamic Revolution. According to article 14 of the constitution, the criterion for election is the public vote. Moreover, chapter 3 of the constitution has explained the nation’s rights.

Different points have been inserted in the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran to impede any dictatorship. For instance, the article of “non-concentration of power” leads to separation of three branches of power, namely: executive, legislative and judiciary. Each of these branches gets its legitimacy and authority from the people’s vote directly or indirectly. Therefore, people elect the righteous individuals with their votes. Nevertheless, there are organs which constantly supervise the performance of the three branches. According to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution election is the greatest manifestation of national might.

Ayatollah Khamenei says, “The most important job that Imam did was to distance the concept of popular rule totally from what the designers of the western democracy and their agents in the scientific scenes intended to show. They had tried to suggest that popular rule is not compatible with religious rule and religiosity. The Imam destroyed this concept and raised popular religious rule, i.e. Islamic Republic in the world.”

According to the approach shown by Imam Khomeini, electoral campaigns create the opportunity for thriving and growth in political and economic fields. A real democracy will provide the ground for political and social participation and will guarantee the rights of all strata.

This trend has incessantly continued after the victory of the Islamic Revolution. The fruit of this development has been the political dynamism of the society. The Islamic Republic system, with creation of the climate required for continuation of this current, has succeeded in turning the election to an opportunity for the growth and improvement of the people irrespective of the results of the election. Such a view indicates the fact that when people participate in the election a different climate is created in the society and political system of the country. In other words, people display their soft power before the eyes of the enemies through participating in elections with insight and awareness. People’s participation in elections, besides internal functions, has always set the ground for strengthening unity as the stronghold of the system in the international arenas.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterates, “Your turnout consolidates the system, bolsters the pillars of the system, increases the repute of the Iranian nation, increases the country’s steadfastness against enmities and deters the enemy from being covetous of the country, thinking of striking, corruption and sedition. This is a very important issue. Thus, the first issue is participation in the elections”

RM/SS