Think Tank: How Was the Iranian Monarchy Overthrown?

Today, the idea of restoring the monarchy remains one of the most controversial and least openly discussed topics in contemporary Middle Eastern politics. The concept of returning to a monarchy has become a well-known "elephant in the room" in Iranian politics, a political force that is impossible to ignore yet many prefer to overlook. Although this movement has garnered significant attention among Iranians, especially among exiles, it is often viewed merely as nostalgia for a bygone era. However, this simplified interpretation fails to capture the subtle realities of the Iranian political landscape.

In the political sphere, few ironies are as profound as the interplay between the passage of time and the availability of information. Political phenomena often reveal their true nature only after the fact, and by the time enough evidence emerges to form a reasonable judgment, the opportunity to take the right action has often already passed. Henry Kissinger described this dilemma as a guess: "In 1936, no one knew whether Hitler was a misunderstood nationalist or a madman. By the time the truth became clear, it was too late, and millions of lives were paid for it."

Similarly, in 1979, when the fervor of the revolution reached its peak, warning an ideologically driven Iranian about the catastrophic consequences of the revolution would have been met with outright rejection, and could even have endangered one's life. Yet, one person saw through the true face of the revolution: the Shah of Iran himself. After leaving Iran, he reflected, "If the Iranian people could fairly compare their situation with other countries and with Iran fifty years ago, they would realize that they lived in peace. They lived so comfortably that they decided to launch a revolution, supposedly to improve their lives further. But this was not the revolution of the Iranian people. It was a national collective suicide at the height of prosperity."

The most ironic part is that this guessing game extends to how Iranians view the Shah. During his reign, many failed to recognize the progress Iran achieved under his leadership. As later history revealed, the monarchy was moving towards liberalization, and the Shah was firmly committed to realizing his vision. Yet paradoxically, it was this very liberalization that fueled the revolutionary fervor rather than quelling it.

The Role of Western Liberalism in Destroying the Iranian Monarchy

Western media and leftist intellectuals, such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Michel Foucault, actively promoted the revolution, encouraging Iranian revolutionaries. With this external support, they embarked on a tragic, unknown path that ultimately became one of the most influential revolutions in modern history. Reflecting on this tragedy, Roger Scruton posed a sharp question: "Who remembers Iran? Who remembers the shameful efforts of Western journalists and intellectuals for this cause?" The painful lessons of the Iranian revolution? Who remembers the hysterical propaganda campaign against the king, the sensational reports from the media about corruption, police oppression, court decadence, and constitutional crises? Who remembers the thousands of Iranian students in Western universities who eagerly absorbed the fashionable nonsense spread by radical talkers, so that they could one day lead the riots and lies campaigns before the fall of the king?

Scruton's lament still resonates today. Western intellectuals continue forward, while Iranians have not forgotten. History is a strict teacher, reminding them every day that peace and prosperity could have been achieved if the country had chosen gradual change instead of revolutionary upheaval. For those who experienced what Khomeini called "democratic change," Edmund Burke's warning to the French revolutionaries has deep relevance: "You had all these advantages of ancient nations, but you chose to act as if you had never been shaped into a civil society, and everything needed to be started from scratch." You fell ill because you took for granted everything you had from the beginning. You do business without capital.

Source: International Interests

Author: Masoud Zamani

Masoud Zamani is a lecturer in international law and international relations at the University of British Columbia.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1836857966800904/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author(s) alone.