According to the Public Relations Office of IICT, Dr. Mohsen Radadi, a member of the Islamic Revolution Studies group at the Institute, discussed the decline in political participation observed in recent elections in an interview with the newspaper Vatan-e Emruz, which follows.
What is Politics? What does Depoliticization Mean?
To enter into the discussion, two introductions are necessary. The first point is, when we talk about depoliticization, what does politics fundamentally mean? In its modern sense, which has been shaped by Machiavelli and discussions of John Locke, Hobbes, etc., politics is understood as a skill, science, and art focused on the acquisition and maintenance of power.
When we talk about political development and political participation, we mean how power is distributed among more people. Naturally, not everyone can become a member of parliament or president and hold power. A segment of society holds power, but a group of citizens who influence the distribution of power and who comes to power are also part of that power. So, it should not be assumed that power is only for those who hold it, but the people also share in power because they are influential in the process of who gets power.
It is assumed that in a democratic, distinguished, and balanced society, all citizens should participate in the power process and engage in politics, some more and some less.
So what does “Depoliticization” mean? If individuals are intentionally or unintentionally prevented from entering politics, then depoliticization has occurred. In another definition, the loss and absence of the political sphere in the social lives of citizens is also a form of depoliticization. That is, citizens legally and socially have the opportunity to be involved in politics but choose to withdraw from it or find that conditions are not conducive to their activity and the situation is unsuitable for them, and gradually these individuals cut off their connection with politics, this is also a form of depoliticization.
Is Iranian Society Political?
Iranian society, as a revolutionary society, has always been political and remains so today, although depoliticization is occurring in a way and many people are distancing themselves from politics, ignoring it, and setting it aside. However, in the 200 years of modern and contemporary Iran, Iranians have been more political compared to neighboring countries and other countries around the world. It is rare in the history of nations for people to have shaped political events in such a manner and to have experience in collective efforts to achieve a political goal.
If we look at history; first was the Tobacco Movement, then the Constitutional Revolution, and as we progress, discussions such as the nationalization of the oil industry and the June 15 uprising, the formation of the Islamic Revolution, and subsequent events like the June 2 incident and others, where a collective group of people mobilize to achieve a political goal, are examples. This has happened rarely in the world. Looking at neighboring countries; in Turkey, Iraq, and Pakistan, people have not been politically engaged in this manner.
Although it is said that the Middle East is a highly political region, the nationalization of the oil industry in Iran was an unprecedented event, and when this happened in Iran, there was no news of such events in neighboring countries. Even now, for example, in Saudi Arabia, people do not engage in politics and there is no visible movement or effort to change the current situation. There are also poor and needy people there. Even if all of them were in an excellent welfare situation, the fact that individuals cannot influence political processes should create a void for them and they should feel the need to intervene in politics. The realm of economics and the ability to create good and sufficient welfare is one thing, but it is not enough. Part of human existence is concerned with being able to influence decision-making in their society. Political science suggests that those in the middle class who have some financial means are interested in influencing political processes, but in Arab countries, where people are known to be affluent, there is no significant political activism. Comparing Iranians with neighboring and Arab countries, Iranians are politically engaged and our political culture is valuable.
This situation is an opportunity, and if not used well, it can become a threat. The opportunity is that Iranians are not indifferent or apathetic and have political talent. The concern of the people is a good opportunity, and if these motivations are gathered and concentrated, they can be used to advance many national projects and create solidarity for significant tasks.
In terms of the threat, if political needs are ignored, individuals become frustrated. Someone who is interested in improving the state of their country, when their views seem ineffective and they become frustrated and hopeless, depoliticization occurs or people turn towards foreign media and fake and populist politicians who generally propagate against the Islamic Republic and exploit the frustration and hopelessness of the people, claiming they can fix the country. This situation is damaging and can lead to the loss of the political sphere in society, and instead of citizens being constructively engaged, they enter into a destructive cycle. On one hand, citizens are drawn towards the opposition, causing trouble for the country, and the government, in order to maintain order and not lose control, is forced to take action. This situation continuously increases anger. Next time, the blow will be harsher and the actions more extreme. The unrests happened since 2009, are protests that eventually turns into unrest and moves towards radicalism and blind vandalism, resulting from neglecting the element of aware humanity. The main message of this aware person is that they want to be influential and impactful. They want to speak in the political process and be present in the media, and when this aware element does not receive a proper response, they move towards blind and destructive actions, and as time progresses, the extent of destruction and sabotage increases, which is the cause of it. As long as we do not address the needs of politics, we cannot escape this destructive cycle.
Depoliticization and Decline in Participation
In my opinion, the decline in participation has a direct effect and relationship with depoliticization. Part of this depoliticization leads to a form of protest that indirectly impacts the issue of decreased participation, but I believe the main reason for decreased participation is the loss of politics in people’s lives, meaning that the prevailing politics and the political sphere defined for citizens’ activities do not seem very attractive to citizens.
Therefore, if 20 percent of their lives should be dedicated to politics and political discussions, they eliminate it through other domains such as education, recreation, cultural matters, and earning a livelihood, etc., and even though it seems they fill that part with something else, this void remains.
Systematic depoliticization and the Presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Here, I will describe two methods of depoliticization and then address the reasons for it. One type of depoliticization, unfortunately occurring under some governments, means that politics is fundamentally suppressed, demeaned, and the space for discussion and political critique is closed. Specifically, this happened during the presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and the political sphere became very narrow. This situation can be termed systematic depoliticization that started from the government and faced a well-known reaction from the leader of the Revolution. He said, “May God curse those who want our universities to become non-political.” This was a reality that at that time, the government in the early 1990s tried to suppress politics as much as possible. Any critical discussion was met with severe government reactions. 100 to 150 political activists wrote a letter to the then-president and declared that the economic adjustment policies and policies pursued during the Building the State government increased the gap between people and led to injustice, but for this very letter, some of these individuals were arrested and imprisoned. At that time, the situation was not like today, and criticizing the president was not easy. The president was a very sacred figure, and there was no possibility of criticism. The government deliberately tried to eliminate politics because it was a development-oriented government and believed that any political discussion was an obstacle to economic development and construction. It believed that work should be done in a purely technocratic manner, and deliberately selected managers who were completely non-political. Thus, a type of devaluation occurred, and revolutionary individuals were removed from executive positions. At that time, non-political and so-called experts were employed, and the government emphasized that it came for de-escalation, but it should be noted that one aspect of de-escalation is depoliticization. In politics, there is critical positioning. If you say that no one should criticize the government and the national government has no objections to the global situation and is trying to de-escalate and avoid conflicts and wars with any country, this situation is, in a clear manner, depoliticization. Political space allows for dialogue and criticism.
This period did not last long, and with June 2nd, the spring that the previous government had constantly compressed and not allowed the right path to be taken, sprang out of place and led to some political, nervous, and emotional behaviors, which also led to frustration and depoliticization of the second type. Such suppression of politics and systematic depoliticization generally does not last long and leads to severe reactions, and later many of these individuals express regret and say that their behaviors were impulsive. Like the statement made by Minister of Labor Mr. Meidari, which was quoted as saying, “Myself and others like me made mistakes at that time.” This situation was due to the suppression of politics in the previous period, which, when the space opened and became free, intensified impulsive behaviors.
Frustration and Cultural Depoliticization
Another form of depoliticization can be called “practical depoliticization.” This situation is associated with frustration and disappointment. It involves the loss of political appeal for some people, which we can refer to as cultural depoliticization. This means that cultural and social factors lead individuals to sideline politics. This type of depoliticization is more general and widespread and is not unique to Iran; it has occurred in many countries. This form of depoliticization is a trend of the times; perhaps in the 1970s, politics was attractive and important to people worldwide. For example, in Latin American countries, Europe, and the United States, people were fervently seeking to change the existing status quo, and they were driven by concepts like freedom and justice. These concepts are inherently political, aiming to make social processes more equitable through the application of power and to expand freedom in society by gaining power for the desired group. During those years, political activity was high worldwide, and student, labor, and women’s movements had a special place. However, gradually, depoliticization with cultural and social roots occurred, meaning that politics no longer holds appeal for individuals, and they define their ideals outside the realm of politics.
Individualism and Pleasure-Seeking: Two Factors of Cultural Depoliticization
At least two factors lead individuals to conclude that they should pursue their goals through means other than politics: one is individualism, and the other is pleasure-seeking. Individualism means that one is in competition with others alone, and if one wants to succeed and achieve goals, these goals are solely personal and not defined collectively. For instance, an individual may not express a desire for a society where everyone is free; rather, they might say they want to ensure their own well-being and avoid collective actions. Individualism causes people to plan independently and lack a sense of shared destiny.
Another factor affecting depoliticization in the current era is pleasure-seeking. Someone interested in politics sacrifices part of their comfort. Politics does not align with ease and material pleasure. A person passionate about politics might face imprisonment, insults, and threats, yet they derive pleasure from fulfilling their social duty and feel joyful. Material pleasure-seeking, where individuals prefer not to engage with politics, has become dominant among young people worldwide, and this has influenced depoliticization. Politics involves trouble, and if one wants to enjoy life, they should avoid these troubles.
Both systematic and cultural depoliticization result in citizens becoming disillusioned with politicians, withdrawing, and showing less interest in politics, preferring to stay on the periphery and minimize their involvement.
A significant portion of depoliticization is systematic, with some politicians in Iran and other parts of the world interested in keeping citizens away from politics and reducing their political sensitivity. In other words, they want people not to bother politicians. Lower political sensitivity is desired by those in power, as it prevents power distribution among the general public and keeps power concentrated in the hands of those who currently hold it. Thus, there is a strong motivation for advancing depoliticization.
What Should Be Done?
People need to learn political skills. Otherwise, they either do not enter this field, gradually lose their political sensitivity, or their political activities become ineffective, trivial, and harmful, resulting in frustration for themselves and damage to the country. This skill needs to be taught to people, and various institutions such as media, groups, organizations, and politicians must have comprehensive and precise programs to harness citizens’ political sensitivity. For example, in countries with political parties, clear directions are given to people’s political tastes. People’s political motivations and talents are utilized and developed, and they are educated to provide more refined opinions and better understand political conditions, ultimately offering creative solutions for managing the country. Many individuals learn step by step, develop their talents, and eventually become presidents, ministers, or legislators. A clear process is followed to achieve good results. Without this process, it cannot be expected that people will naturally learn politics on their own.
To prevent depoliticization and maintain people’s interest in politics, their abilities need to be adjusted, and they must receive training and develop skills to gradually grow politically. In recent years, we have significantly fallen short. Our society has the motivation and talent. When our taxi drivers have political analyses, it is an opportunity to educate them and give them analytical and interpretative power to act better. Otherwise, futile political discussions that lead to arguments, frustration, and damage represent a waste of talent that should be seen as a blessing.
