Theocracy Defeats its Opponents

Abstract

Khomeini’s Utopian rule of a just Faqih was to remain between the covers of his book. In reality after the revolution there was no evidence of any form of submission to the rule of the Faqih by the Iranians. The assumption that the society of Muslims would be a homogeneous, quasi-tribal, hierarchical, respect-ful and obedient to the laws of God, as interpreted by the Faqih, proved fallaci-ous. Secular people and the intelligentsia were regrouping and were even securing support among some of the religious classes. The Mujahedineh Khalq, Fadayaneh Khalq and the Tudeh party were finding footholds among the armed forces and jockeying for political influence. The ulema remained divided and regional minorities began agitating for autonomy. Everyone expected the revolution to deliver their particular version of the future and there was no visible administrative or political machinery for attaining any of these aims.