Proving the Intrinsic Political Corruption of the Shah's regime

Irdc.ir: Imam Khomeini (RA), with his unique sagacity, took advantage of all the legitimate means and approaches in order to topple the Shah’s regime and substitute it with the Islamic Republic. Through creating consecutive crises, he challenged the legitimacy of the regime and destabilized it. He undermined the regime’s sources of power. By taking advantage of the Shiite tenets, culture, symbols, and institutions, Imam Khomeini (RA) overthrew the Shah’s regime and substituted it with the Islamic Republic. In order to clarify the issue, Imam Khomeini (RA)’s strategies are reviewed as follows. 

Imam Khomeini (RA) tried to prove that the Shah’s regime was intrinsically corrupt. He adopted this strategy in order to create legitimacy crisis for the regime. Imam Khomeini (RA) endeavored to demonstrate that the Shah’s regime was inherently suffering from political corruption and, therefore, it could not be reformed. He emphasized that overthrowing the regime was the only way to save the country. Imam Khomeini (RA) argued that despotism and dependence [on Western powers] were major reasons of the regime’s intrinsic political corruption. He believed that this corruption was a structural malady within the Shah’s regime.

1.The Shah’s despotism: Imam Khomeini (RA) argued that the Shah was inherently a despotic person and had acted against the law during his reign. He said that the Shah’s major illegal act was his interferences in administrative affairs of the country and "it is misdemeanor because the Shah is, according to the laws of the constitutional monarchy, not allowed to make interferences in administrative affairs.” He pointed out that the Shah’s inherent despotism was rooted in his "independence from the people” and the fact that "his authority has been imposed on the people through the use of force as a result of which Iranians have, during these years, suffered from increasing suppression and thousands of them have been killed,  imprisoned, and banished.” "Therefore, everything should change in Iran,” he added.

2. The Shah’s dependence on foreigners: Imam Khomeini (RA) argued that the Shah’s regime was totally dependent on foreigners. He said: "Americans are present everywhere in the country.” Imam Khomeini (RA) believed that superpowers were supporting the Shah’s regime for the sake of their own benefits. By keeping these dependent countries in a state of backwardness, he argued, these superpowers would further develop their own interests. Imam Khomeini (RA) pointed out that overthrowing the Shah and forcing the Americans out were the only ways for saving the country. "The United States has committed the greatest betrayal against our country. The Shah is a puppet of Americans. Therefore, both the Shah and Americans should leave [the country],” he continued. Elaborating on the superpowers’ support of the Shah, Imam Khomeini (RA) reiterated that it is the Shah’s weakness that superpowers support him for maintaining their own interests. "We want the person who has brought this weakness to the country and wasted the Iranian national power, i.e. the Shah, leave the country and get substituted by the [Iranian] nation, who is powerful [enough]. Iranians want independence. They want to terminate the interferences of other powers,” he added. In that case, "an independent and powerful Iran can maintain the stability of the region,” Imam Khomeini (RA) said.