Any Leftist present in Iran

[Revulero]

Are there any underground leftist groups in Iran taking advantage of the situation or any leftist presence in this revolt? And if so, what have they done or whats their view of this situation? I know this is between reformist and conservatives but this is a great time to radicalize the Iranian working class against Mousavi who hasn't even showed support for people who are rallying for him today. I'm also sure that this isn't even about the election anymore, this is about something more.

[Jimmie Higgins]

Are there any underground leftist groups in Iran taking advantage of the situation or any leftist presence in this revolt? And if so, what have they done or whats their view of this situation? I know this is between reformist and conservatives but this is a great time to radicalize the Iranian working class against Mousavi who hasn't even showed support for people who are rallying for him today. I'm also sure that this isn't even about the election anymore, this is about something more.

I'm sure there are many although I do not know about specific groups. Since the last major round of protests, the Iranian government has eased restrictions on Marxist literature - most likely because they don't see it as a threat compared to other forces - and it has caused a great deal of interest among students there.

Actually, the New York Times of all things had an article about it...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/world/middleeast/20iran.html?pagewanted=print

[REDSOX]

I am curious too. Marxists communists anarchists in Iran must start agitating amongst the poor and the working class/peasentry in iran to take advantage of this faction fight not joining the faction fight!!!!

[LeninBalls]

I doubt there is much radical left agitation, seeing as the whole "uprising" is over a debate of whether or not their new bourgeoisie would take the throne of the Iranian ruling class. I can't imagine many people in any country converting to the radical left during mass protests because their capitalist president wasn't elected.

[Pogue]

The labour unions are heavily supressed by the regime, as is hilighted by Amnesty International amongst others: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/20/744789/-Labor-Unions-Join-the-Resistance-in-Iran

[Revulero]

I doubt there is much radical left agitation, seeing as the whole "uprising" is over a debate of whether or not their new bourgeoisie would take the throne of the Iranian ruling class. I can't imagine many people in any country converting to the radical left during mass protests because their capitalist president wasn't elected.


I have to disagree, I can imagine people converting to the radical left because revolts lead people to question everything thats going on around them, so I think this is a great time to spread class concioussness. I'm sure some Mousavi supporters are pissed at the fact that he didn't show up for them and feel betrayed. We should capitalize on this because it leaves people looking for a better solution.

[Pogue]

I have to disagree, I can imagine people converting to the radical left because revolts lead people to question everything thats going on around them, so I think this is a great time to spread class concioussness. I'm sure some Mousavi supporters are pissed at the fact that he didn't show up for them and feel betrayed. We should capitalize on this because it leaves people looking for a better solution.

This. Popular struggle against oppresion is the beginning of a mass movement against all oppression - capitalism, the state, the ruling class.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I think things could develop really quickly in the middle east with everything that's happened in the last decade. There have been the explosive uprisings in Egypt, Pakistan and now this in Iran. I have to imagine that people are really trying to generalize in the middle east and trying to figure out how to win real change.

Just as people turned to radical Islam when the old Arab nationalist and Stalinist/Maoist CPs failed, we may soon see a shift away from the Islamic groups due to their inherent limitations and inability/unwillingness to mount a mass class-based struggle.

Hezbollah became so popular across factional lines after the Israeli bombings just for standing up to the attack - I think this demonstrates the hunger for a real nationalist challenge to imperialism and the strikes in Egypt show the potential for a huge class-based socialist struggle in the middle east.

[Pogue]

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/20/18603064.php

[LOLseph Stalin]

I doubt there is much radical left agitation

There isn't really. There were leftist parties previously, but they were generally suppressed under the previous regime. There could be some leftist activity among these riots, but without a formal vanguard they likely won't have much success. Many of these people aren't protesting against Capitalism, but against dictatorship. See, if there was a vanguard this could change into a more Socialism orientated struggle.

[Davie zepeda]

None from what i heard except Maoist.