Re: [Marxism] Iranian opposition leader: Vote should be annulled

[Gary MacLennan <gary.maclennan1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Mehmet,

It is an interesting argument but I am not convinced that elections are
necessarily the kiss of death for revolutionary movements and moments.
Having said that of course electoralism is a trap and we have the same old
trick pulled off here in Australia every three years.  But a lot depends on
the timing of the election and the relation ship to the revolutionary
current.  I would hazard as a first approximation the rather obvious
statement if the revolutionary tide is full or on the increase then
elections could have a positive outcome.  But if the tide has turned against
the revolution then elections serve as a kind of coup de grace.

That is what I take to have happened in 68.  Certainly nearer at hand here
in sleepy old Oz in 1975 when the right wing Governor General sacked the
elected Labor Prime Minister, there was public uproar and spontaneous
walkouts and demonstrations.  If I had not seen them myself I would not have
believed them.  But the Labor Party held a tight rein on the protests and
refused to endorse a call for a general strike.  The Communist Party played
along with this and although it was only a fragment at the time it still had
some industrial muscle which it could have used.  But this was 75 and
strange as it now seems the fear of a Chile type pogrom was very real. So
the sacked politician , Gough Whitlam, held enormous rallies where he said
to the people to "maintain your rage" and then added "But don't boil over".

The inevitable happened and the people went off the boil and the subsequent
election endorsed the right wing coup against the Labor Party.  But because
they had been good boys they were eventually allowed to return to office in
1983.

So back to Iran: an election now would IMHO be a positive development. But I
do not see it as a possibility.  The regime appears to be set to shoot on
sight and the protestors face very stark choices indeed. My thoughts and
hopes are with them.

regards

Gary
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