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Probably not.
Most Iranians support Islam.
The women and a good number of the men want a less strict policy for women.
The Koran makes it clear that it is the woman's right to choose how she expresses her interpretation of surrender to Allah.
Mohammed never said modesty should be policed or imposed.
Personal modesty is a virtue for both men and women.
There is no meaning or virtue in modesty if it is not chosen.
Most Iranians support Islam.
The women and a good number of the men want a less strict policy for women.
The Koran makes it clear that it is the woman's right to choose how she expresses her interpretation of surrender to Allah.
Mohammed never said modesty should be policed or imposed.
Personal modesty is a virtue for both men and women.
There is no meaning or virtue in modesty if it is not chosen.
RodionRomanovitch · 56-60, M
@hartfire 'Most Iranians support Islam.' - If you mean they are practising Muslims then yeah , but if you mean they support an Islamic Republic then that is clearly not so.
@RodionRomanovitch No, I meant practising Muslims. Sorry for my failure to be clear.
I'm still not sure how the majority of Iranians feel about the Islamic Republic. Certainly the demonstrations are attracting huge crowds and lots of support. But how many have stayed at home?
What is the population of Iran?
I google "politics of Iran" on Wiki, just to check that I understood how it works. It looks like it's an entrenched authoritarian theocracy with no true democracy as we understand the word.
Looks like it would take a revolution (like the one sparked by Martin Luther in Germany about 5 centuries ago) to overthrow the current regime.
The leaders would need to have a plan for how to create a replacement government - presumably a more Western style democracy, supporting moderate Shia Islam, tolerance for other monotheistic religions and intolerance for extremism.
Such a revolution would have to be ready and able to move into the power vacuum seamlessly. That's a tall ask. It's not normally how democracies emerge.
I have a feeling that no one in Iran is that well organized.
At the moment it seems to me like it's just demonstrations asking for specific changes, not a complete revolution.
Maybe that day will come but, if so, I think it's still a long way off.
I'm still not sure how the majority of Iranians feel about the Islamic Republic. Certainly the demonstrations are attracting huge crowds and lots of support. But how many have stayed at home?
What is the population of Iran?
I google "politics of Iran" on Wiki, just to check that I understood how it works. It looks like it's an entrenched authoritarian theocracy with no true democracy as we understand the word.
Looks like it would take a revolution (like the one sparked by Martin Luther in Germany about 5 centuries ago) to overthrow the current regime.
The leaders would need to have a plan for how to create a replacement government - presumably a more Western style democracy, supporting moderate Shia Islam, tolerance for other monotheistic religions and intolerance for extremism.
Such a revolution would have to be ready and able to move into the power vacuum seamlessly. That's a tall ask. It's not normally how democracies emerge.
I have a feeling that no one in Iran is that well organized.
At the moment it seems to me like it's just demonstrations asking for specific changes, not a complete revolution.
Maybe that day will come but, if so, I think it's still a long way off.
RodionRomanovitch · 56-60, M
@hartfire I doubt very much that any kind of revolution from the streets is possible. The regime is absolutely brutal and I'm pretty sure that any kind of resistance would soon encounter a miltary response much like the one inflicted by Assad on the Syrian people.
What we do seem to be witnessing however is the gradual spread of dissatisfation with the government throughout society. There are lots of disparate groups expressing solidarity with the protestors and civil disobedience is becoming a thing.
If we can get to the point of some kind of general strike then the protestors will have a hand to play. At that point maybe , just maybe , the more pragmatic of the clerics might be persuadable that a transition away from theocracy might be in everyone's interests.
What we do seem to be witnessing however is the gradual spread of dissatisfation with the government throughout society. There are lots of disparate groups expressing solidarity with the protestors and civil disobedience is becoming a thing.
If we can get to the point of some kind of general strike then the protestors will have a hand to play. At that point maybe , just maybe , the more pragmatic of the clerics might be persuadable that a transition away from theocracy might be in everyone's interests.