On 7/30/06, Yoshie Furuhashi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Notice that Ahmadinejad is the first lay man who got elected President. He isn't an imam.
you could say the same kind of thing about the first Mexican PRI president who wasn't part of the "first generation" of revolutionary leaders. But he existed within the system of the PRI. one of the first generation was Lázaro Cárdenas. He was very progressive compared to later presidents (and earlier ones). But he didn't abolish the PRI system. As I understand it, in some (many?) ways he helped cement the PRI dictatorship in Mexico. Maybe Ahmadinejad is the Iranian Lázaro Cárdenas? in most cases, the rise of such reformers from within reflect the existing class tensions and other societal antagonisms, along with the conflict between the existing political-social system and changing economic conditions.
I'm not saying that Iran is a multi-party democracy. I'm saying that Iran has made room for public participation in factional conflicts representing quite distinct economic and other programs within the one party that rules -- the USSR, etc. never got that far.
Gorbachev allowed a lot of public participation. -- Jim Devine / "A different world can be created or re-created—but not until we stop enshrining the economic values of invisible labor, infinite and obsessive growth, and a slow environmental suicide." -- Gloria Steinem
