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Chapter 1
The Revolution and Its Causes:A Theoretical Discussion of Revolutions
In the social sciences, the word revolution has an old meaning, which has evolved over time, as with many other words and phrases, and has gained varied new meanings. In dictionaries the word revolution is defined as: a sudden, radical, or complete change; a complete, rotation and return to the point of origin[2]... In the Holy Quran, revolution is defined as a total upheaval turning everything upside down.[3] Likewise, from a sociological standpoint, any fundamental, deep change in a society and its social structures especially if it occurs suddenly and is accompanied by violence is called a revolution.[4] Also, in both political science and history of revolutions, the word is defined as fundamental changes in political system, administration, and symbols of power.[5] Political scientists have also offered their various definitions of revolution, of which we can mention two most frequently used by contemporary scholars: "successful or unsuccessful violent efforts to effect fundamental change in the basic structure of a society".[6] Crane Brinton defines it as the "sudden and violent replacement of the ruling establishment by a group which had hitherto been bereft of any political power."[7] Among Islamic scientists and philosophers, the late martyr Ayatollah Motahhari, calls revolution, "the rebellion or uprising of a region or country against the prevailing rule and rulers in order to establishthe desired order and system of governance."[8]As a general rule, revolutions succeed in a place and at a time when the society has been polarized into two opposing camps. In situations like this, most social groups leave the ruling establishment and join the opposition, leaving the society with the precarious situation of having two centers of power. The process usually begins with popular doubts about the political legitimacy and the right to power of the ruling establishment. Eventually, following a period of widespread disappointment of the people at their political system, social power begins to take shape and assert itself. At this juncture, conditions resemble efforts by the ruling establishment trying to suppress the varied social groups opposing its rule; a process, which undermines the ruling political system and its structures, rendering it unable to meet the people's minimum demands. As conditions deteriorate, gradually the ruling system loses the administrative control of the society, and almost concurrently, the opposition begins to gain increasing confidence and trust in its own abilities to effectively oppose and depose the ruling system and take its place. Very soon, the situation becomes unbearable because of the ever-widening chasm between the "political power" and the "social power". A clash of these two, at this stage looks inevitable.[9]This is what social scientists mean when it is said that a society is in a revolutionary situation. What exacerbates the situation even further and aggravates the revolutionary conditions is a clash and antagonism between the set of values that ruling establishment follows with values cherished and believed in by the opposition social groups. A phenomenon which socialScientist, Wilbert Moore, describes as the "distance between a society's ideals and the prevailing realities and conditions."[10] In a way, one can liken the phenomenon of a revolution to molting; because revolutions are really the crystallization of the process of the collapse of dialogue and contact between the government and the governed in a political system. This process only becomes comprehensive and complete if it comprises the following two conditions, with one preceding the other and serving as a prelude:1- Total destruction of all prevailing political institutions;2- Establishment and formation of new social groups and political institutions.[11] Therefore, the above hypothetical "revolutionary conditions," initially is a process of destruction, in the sense that formerly loyal citizens of a political system begin to consider rebellion and uprising against the government their most natural right. Conditions such as these are usually accompanied by derision and lack of respect for the ruling system and proceed to become firm belief of the opposition that the status quo is simply senseless and useless; and they usually develop a firm, popular belief that an alternative situation must be actively pursued. Complex elements interact to bring about such revolutionary conditions, which can generally be divided into four categories.[12]
