'The Cultural Revolution' (1980-1987)(in Persian: انقلاب Ùرهنگي) was a period following the 1979
Islamic Revolution in
Iran where the academia of Iran was purged of Western and non-Islamic influences to bring it in line with
Islam["State-University Power Struggle at Times of Revolution and War in Iran"]. The official name used by the Islamic Republic is "Cultural Revolution."
Responsible figures
Numerous political figures, clerics and academics were involved in the cultural revolution between 1980 and 1987. The following figures are known as main advocates of the movement.They expelled some 700 University professors from Iran's academic institutions in a short time.
[1][2]
★
Ruhollah Khomeini (founder)
★
Ali Khamenei (founder and head of the council)
★
Mohammad Javad Bahonar (member of council)
★
Ahmad Ahmadi (member of council)
★
Jalaleddin Farsi (member of council)
★
Mehdi Golshani (member of council)
★
Hassan Habibi (member of council)
★
Ali Shariatmadari (member of council)
★
Abdolkarim Soroush (member of council)
★
Mostafa Moin (minister of science)
★
Hassan Arefi (mostly involved in expelling medical scientists)
★
Mohammad Ali Najafi (minister of science)
★
Asadollah Lajevardi
In 1983, Ali Khamenei was the main figure behind the expansion of the council and its scope of activities. His suggestion was approved by the Iranian leader.
Imposing Islam
The universities were entirely shut down (1980-1982) with some violence. The exact number of executions has never been made public and remains a mystery.
[3][4]
The main theme of the movement was to purify the Universities and education system of foreign influences. In his original letter,
Ayatollah Khomeini wrote: ''Set yourselves free from any " –ism" and " –ist" belonging to the East and the West. Be self dependent and do not expect any help from the foreigners.''
[5]
After shutting down the universities on
12 June 1980[6],
Imam Khomeini issued a letter, stating
The "
Committee for Islamization of Universities"
6 carried out the task by ensuring an "Islamic atmosphere" for every subject from
engineering to the
humanities6. When the institutions reopened, purges continued for five more years with special focus on "Islam’s enemies"
[7]. Students were screened by committees and those found unfit were not allowed to continue their studies.
[8]
Away from the universities the Cultural Revolution affected some cultural and scientific figures who were publicly denounced, and Iranian radio and television, which broadcast only religious and official programs.
[9]
Influence and sacrifices
The Cultural Revolution united the theological schools in Qom with state universities and brought secular teachers to Qom for a time. This had the unexpected result of exposing many students in Qom to Western thought, so that it is possible to find "clerics and teachers of theology who know something of contemporary Western thought and philosophy."
Another aspect was that many teachers and technocrats left Iran to escape the Cultural Revolution. So while the revolution undoubtedly set back the machinations of plotters it has also been said to have "greatly weakened" Iran in the fields of "science and technology needed for development."
[10]
Institutions of the Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution Headquarters was established June 12, 1980 and charged by Ayatollah Khomeini with making sure that the cultural policy of the universities was based on Islam, that selected professors were "efficient, committed and vigilant," and dealing with other issues relevant to the Islamic academic revolution.
[Supreme Cultural Revolution Council ''GlobalSecurity.org'']]
It was continued by the 'Supreme Cultural Revolution Council'
[11]in December 1984. It is described as "the highest body for making policies and decisions in connection with cultural, educational and research activities within the framework of the general policies of the system and considered its approvals indispensable." The body is not stipulated in the Constitution but "was formed under the special circumstances that were prevailing in the early stages of the revolution. The council took its legitimacy from the
9 December 1984 decree of the founder of the Islamic Republic."
[12]
In fact, the group of seven (in 1980-83) and then 17 (in 1984) that was even expanded to 36 in 1999 was expected to compile all the cultural policies of the country.
[4] Hojjatol-Islam Mohammad Khatami was appointed as a member of the 'High Council for Cultural Revolution'
[13] in
1996[14] and in 1997 became its head.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became the head of the Council in 2005, succeeding Khatami;
Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has oversight over the Council.
The Council has been active in fighting the student movement of 1983-1989 "banning many books and purging thousands of students and lecturers." The council controls the affairs of the university and its students through supervising the selection of applicants to the university and by controlling the formation of university institutions.
[12]
Since 2001, the council has been active in demanding state control or government-imposed filtering of the internet to prevent the dissemination of blasphemy, insults to Iran's
Supreme Leader, opposition to the constitution, the creation of "pessimism and hopelessness among the people regarding the legitimacy and effectiveness of the [Islamic] system", and similar vices.
[12]
Current work
The Cultural Council continues its work ensuring that the education and culture of Iran remains "100% Islamic" as Khomeini directed.
In 2006 there was talk of Universities "bracing" for "tighter state control over student bodies and faculties and perhaps even the second ‘Cultural Revolution'"
[17] It has resulted in the dismissal or compulsory retirement of veteran university faculties and their replacement with younger professors espousing the fervor of the Islamic Republic.
[18]
Members
The Cultural Council has 33 members
[19], most of whom hold other government posts as well.
See also
★
Islamic Revolutionary Court deals with "treason against Islam" and other matters.
★
Islamic conquest of Persia
References and notes
1. [1]
2. [2]
3. According to http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/soe/cihe/newsletter/News36/text006.htm On 18 April 1980, "the gangs wounded hundreds of students and killed at least 24"
4. http://www.mukto-mona.com/Articles/Younus_Sheikh/IslamWoman3.htm "There were 5,195 political and religious executions only in 1983 alone!"
5. THE ANNIVERSARY OF ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION
6. http://www.iranculture.org/en/about/tarikh.php
7. Foundation anniversary of the Islamic Propagation Organization (I.O.P) by Khomeini's order ''Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting''
8. "Students Brace for Second 'Cultural Revolution'" by
Kimia Sanati
9. Keddie, ''Modern Iran'' (2003), p,290
10. Keddie, ''Modern Iran'', (2003), p.290
11. [3]
12. Supreme Cultural Revolution Council ''GlobalSecurity.org''
13. Another name for the 'Supreme Cultural Revolution Council'.
14. http://www.irib.ir/Ouriran/mashahir/siasi/khatami/html/en/president.htm
15. Supreme Cultural Revolution Council ''GlobalSecurity.org''
16. Supreme Cultural Revolution Council ''GlobalSecurity.org''
17. Students Brace for Second 'Cultural Revolution'
18. Ahmadinejad seeks purge of liberal profs''AP via Yahoo! News'' 5 September 2006 (Link dead as of 16 January 2007)
19. http://www.iranculture.org/en/about/members.php
Further reading
★ ''A Century of Revolution: Social Movements in Iran'' ISBN 9780816624874
External links
★
Supreme Cultural Revolution Council
★
Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, in a Lecture in Demark: Christian Morality Dissolved in the Acid of Capitalism and Secularism
★
Supreme Council for Cultural Revolution: We Are Stronger Than America and the West
★
Ayatollah Khamenei’s responses the president & the chairman of SCCR to the questions posed by experts of public relation department of the SCCR in June, 1985.
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