Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Source of democracy and change?

The first president of the Islamic Republic of Iran still hopes for positive changes. And argues against intervention by outsiders.

Democracy comes from within, says first Iranian president

Bani Sadr

Iran’s first president after the 1979 Islamic Revolution Abul Hassan Bani Sadr said the Iranian regime is not prone to reformation at the time being since it is based on the concentration of power in the hands of one person.

“The Velayet-e-Faqih system means that the Supreme Guide is the sole ruler who has the upper hand in all state matters including executive, legislative, and judiciary powers,” he told Al Arabiya’s "Point of Order" Friday.

Bani Sadr said that when talking about the possibility of change in Iran, it is important to bear in mind that democracy has to come from within and can never be imported from outside.

“External powers cannot bring democracy to another country. Iraq and Afghanistan are the most obvious examples. Democracy comes from the people.”

Bani Sadr argued that the Iranian people are capable of rising against the current regime and establishing a democracy.

“They did it before when they toppled the Shah and I don’t see why they can’t do the same with this fabricated system of governance that has no roots in Iran.”…