five first sections of democracy :
Author: Heshmat Tabarzadi
1- The tolerance is base of democracy.
IF we want to be democrat and institutionalized literally democracy, should to make tolerance as a culture in ourselves.
>2-tolerance aginst dogmatism.
In first section it was told:" the base of democracy is tolerance " and here would explain that, tolerate ideas ,demands, behaviors and methods of opponents, that is the ground of democratic society and morality of democratic men, is antonym with any dogmatic and absolutism. Democracy in experience is nothing, but accepting this idea in practice.
3- Against my dogmatic idealism.
Not like some political philosophers who deal with matters in theoretical and imaginary way, but I consider democracy in objective and sensible way and study that in real. My political life started 1977 (1356) when I was an 18 years old student with revolutionary and emotional ideas. I have read and done so many different works, therefore I have experienced a lot of things and learnt from my triumphs and mistake and never being stopped. I always learnt from revolutionary years of 1977-1978 (1356-57) till joining Iran and Iraq war and at the same time dogmatic defending the religious ideology regime until 1994 (1373), since then I have started fighting in opposite direction against the regime and my past from 1994 (1373) until present, because learning has been most valuable thing in my life. As during the years 1977 (1356) to mid 80’s (1360’s) on ideological platform, I always been in conflict with other rival Ideologies against my own and mental affairs was more interesting to me than mere objective actions. This long term period of 35 years means from 1977 until 1994, which a part of that was a mistake and accompanied by religious radicalism, absolutism and dogmatism, put me in the path of liberal- socialism thoughts in the next stage. Liberalism from my point of view is to like liberty up to intellectual defending; the same that all the liberal philosophers define it. In this type of liberalism, subjective and objective and real battle with anti-liberal thoughts, regimes and traditions are my interesting ideas and from social point of view, I follow International Human Right statement as main criteria for my political activities. But I also used to moderate with others and fight with dogmatism, as I experienced dogmatism and its bitter and fatal taste. I learnt from dogmatism and absolutism and achieved liberal thoughts and social tolerance and I called the combination of these two liberal- socialism. The best sample of my life can be asked from political prisoners as living in jail causes everyone to show what he really is. This is my experience of prison and prisoner and living in jail and cell during the last 14 years. I always loved to live as a typical moderated political, intellectual and social man and I have done as well. A liberal Human if specially wants to believe in liberal philosophizing, he should bear the competitors and antagonists and at the same time defend his thought basics. Performing this type of liberal traditions in social life and especially political structure is totally difficult. Some people suppose that liberalism and democracy is to take power themselves and their own party. Revolution of February 1979 (Bahman 57) and the events after that showed this thought is a mistake. Before everything, you should be a democrat in order to institute democracy structure, which we Iranian didn’t experience it while have assertion of that. The intellectual and challenging philosopher and Liberal must wish liberty for his rival and antagonist and live it in real. What we extremely need it and unfortunately it will be seen less. I support socialism because forming such thoughts will be possible only through social domain and believe that social values are not less than liberalism values. Living with moderate, liberty and democracy is nothing except to make worthy the social life and values. Fare and justice and tolerance will be meaningful in an objective basis and social life. Because of this social life, you will recognize the political, religious, economic and social interests of every one rather than yours and judge according to justice. Human ideally and in his mind is always a holy man. But a person will be examined through a society. Since society is the place of confliction between requests and contrast of interests and dialectic of methods. I consider absolutism and dogmatism are the enemies of liberty and justice. There is no difference if this dogmatism is the issue of political, party, tribal requests or ideas or the result of social requests and or individual tendencies and habits. I have a plenty of examples in this connection which will be explain later.
(4) Respecting the others’ belongings
I consider tolerance as the foundation of democracy and assume this tradition against absolutism and dogmatism. The point is that there are many factors which cause a society follow the tradition of tolerance or lack of tolerance. I’m not going to find the social-historical root of these reasons. But I state the result of both traditions that a moderate-centered society is a society which its sticking to its belongings is logical and aim to the results and interests. From a pragmatist point of view, if we consider that more liberty, democracy, justice, security, welfare and benefit are the required interests and results for a society; a moderate-centered society is the one ready to change and move in order to achieve these mentioned targets. This is the same democratic society. Since the social-historical structure and its organizing contents enjoy of a collective wisdom and are so flexible. The organizing contents and the organized whole has the specification of relativity and avoiding of individual and collective self-adoring. He accepts that may be his knowledge is not sufficient and or the others enjoy of truthfulness. This thought makes him to respect the others rather than his own individual and social …….. Opposite to this social and intellectual tradition, there are societies which principally are dogmatism, inflexible, absolute and despotic centered. The contents and generality of such societies used to think so if only their belongings are right, perfect and complete. They are self-adoring and don’t respect the others. Such dogmatism causes the contents and social groups of these societies to be also so selfish, undemocratic and inflexible. They won’t respect and worthy the others’ belongings and will follow covetousness, violence and fanaticism. They speak about democracy and civility but when it is going to give opportunity to the competitor or rival, they behave so stingy and intolerance unquestionably. Everybody suppose what he has or he thinks or act is a right action. So, it is a normal matter if everyone suppose he thinks right but the problem is that in an absolutism and dogmatism society, the contents or the whole system insists to this wrong tradition so if their belongings are the centre of truthfulness and only they have right. Impatience, violence, totalitarianism-orientation and fight instead of dialogue are the certain issues of such societies. Whenever we accepted the other have the same right as well as us and they may state or represent a part of truth, in that case we will be able to stop fighting to the other and finish our totality and we will learn how to respect the other’s request. I know it is a long path but if we want it will be achieved. This is the path which modern world has travelled that. Only it is needed to respect the others right and their belongings and requests then understand the world will be a garden of flowers with this less and lacks. I experienced in person and witnessed the positive results of such approach. Even with my jailer who principally is the enemy of my freedom, respected him and considered humanity values in my personal contacts and didn’t follow the usual norms, I have seen its positive social and individual effects, whether I have respected to my cell fellows requests and belongings from different groups. In my opinion, the future of Iran society needs tolerance, bear (tolerate) the rival and competitor and respecting to the other’s opinion and requests more than anything.
5 Democracy- Tolerance and forgiving
More than paying attention to mere theoretical discussions, I emphasize to talk about more objective matters and the affaires we Iranian are involved. It may talk a lot regarding dogmatism or its variant types and especially it has been spoken about religious and ideological dogmas and its harmful effects on government and society, it is told so more which may bother the reader. But I am going to talk about more simple matters and nevertheless the more important. Ask myself why we Iranian are so attracted to our “own” wish and viewpoint while we have less tolerance to the other’s wish and viewpoint in social and individual life? I don’t mean “own” merely as individual “own” and don’t degrade “the other” to this extent. And do not restrict this matter only to religious or political disputes. We even are the same in our family life or smaller communities. We do not tolerate, forgive or have patient at all regarding the other’s willing or preference or sensation. We make it so hard and have less flexibility. In one word, we are not democratic. Even we call some friends as a kidding “never mind democrat”, who tolerate more than the others. Of course it doesn’t mean that a minority of Iranian don’t have social and individual tolerance. There are some but I am talking about majority. It seems in social objectivity, we are not liberal or sociable. Don’t make a mistake! I don’t mean to be weak against oppression or violence or give up our idea and support opportunism or avoiding disputing, debating and challenging. I don’t mean this at all. I ask this question why we are impatient against the other one to this extent. If somebody makes a mistake, we will treat him so if he has committed the biggest sin or murder. This talk doesn’t refer to government or any party or special wing. I am talking to myself, my close friends, my fellows of the same thought, my comrades and generality of society and also democratic movements and especially secular- democracy-oriented. Closer and more clear than this? Believe it bothers me to see a less tolerance to the other one which it is a specific of the big family of my friends or comrades or society. I don’t suppose myself apart from criticism range of influence, although I always challenged with myself in order to keep my own far from impatience and lack of tolerance and forgiveness. I have been always in hard fight with myself and am still. Dispute and challenge are necessary and cause a social development. But this is except the less tolerance and lack of forgiveness. Some believe that this lack of forgiveness and intolerant and being dogma are related to the political-cultural history of Eastern societies whom were ruled by oppressive governments. Assuming this is true, why don’t we want to tolerate a little? In my opinion if we try to like and respect more each other, gradually we will be able to increase our tolerance capacity. I remember the late Ali Akbar Behmanesh, the lawyer of many political prisoners including me had a word which said: give, ask means respect if you wish to be respected. Forgive then others will forgive you. First grant something to the other and then make a request for something. Those who have lived in jail and prison cells can understand what I mean very well. It is talking about a dogmatic, less tolerance, solid and impatient general culture. Dear reader, I ask you a question: if the government change right today and it is going to rule the country with this social-cultural habit and disposition, from democracy point of view and not like some merely power seeking people and parties, will really our situation is better than today? I know very less people who will tolerate and show forgiveness when they confront their friend mistakes and his wrong deeds or when their rival ignores their right. They will treat their guilty friend and covetous rival as well as the enemy of freedom and democracy and justice. Let us be more kind and forgive each other and show more forgiveness and patient against the other, rival or opposite in order to develop democratic morals. In that case cultural, political, social and even economical development will be occurred. Remember that democracy-orientation is a virtue and this virtue will be achieved by establishing democratic culture.
translate by: Fereshteh Jalaei
