Explanation: In 1979, Iran overthrew the US-backed monarchy of the Shah by a broad coalition of leftists, liberals, and Islamists, all of whom had tired of the Shah’s repressive and autocratic rule.
Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile at the invitation of the revolutionary government, as he had said some very nice words about democracy after the Shah exiled him. Unfortunately, he meant none of them, and managed to seize power over Iran and implement a repressive and autocratic regime under him instead of the Shah. Notably, women’s rights were curtailed, and mass protests of women were common before Khomeini managed to purge the last leftists from the revolutionary government and crack down on dissenters with ISLAMIST secret police, which is way better and different than MONARCHIST secret police.
And this, kids, is why you don’t ally with right-wing theocrats as leftists simply because they’re against western imperialism. They’ll always do this shit. It’s essentially like being a LGB without the T. Eventually you’ll be the next on the chopping block.
Unfortunately, revolutions rarely have expansive options in such matters. Revolutions are generally only powerful enough, as a broad coalition, to just barely overthrow the extant entrenched powers.
Everything else is up to who is quickest on the draw after the dust settles.
Explanation: In 1979, Iran overthrew the US-backed monarchy of the Shah by a broad coalition of leftists, liberals, and Islamists, all of whom had tired of the Shah’s repressive and autocratic rule.
Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile at the invitation of the revolutionary government, as he had said some very nice words about democracy after the Shah exiled him. Unfortunately, he meant none of them, and managed to seize power over Iran and implement a repressive and autocratic regime under him instead of the Shah. Notably, women’s rights were curtailed, and mass protests of women were common before Khomeini managed to purge the last leftists from the revolutionary government and crack down on dissenters with ISLAMIST secret police, which is way better and different than MONARCHIST secret police.
And this, kids, is why you don’t ally with right-wing theocrats as leftists simply because they’re against western imperialism. They’ll always do this shit. It’s essentially like being a LGB without the T. Eventually you’ll be the next on the chopping block.
Unfortunately, revolutions rarely have expansive options in such matters. Revolutions are generally only powerful enough, as a broad coalition, to just barely overthrow the extant entrenched powers.
Everything else is up to who is quickest on the draw after the dust settles.