Union of People's Fedaian of Iran
Encyclopedia
The Union of People's Fedaian of Iran is a communist organization that publishes a monthly magazine called Iran Today.
The organization was established in April 1994, following the Convention of Unity Congress. It emerged as a response to a series of political, theoretical and organizational discussions between the two currents of Fedaie movement: Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas
and Fedaian Organization.
and Fedaian Organization. During the last two decades of Shah
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
's rule, members of these two organizations and other combatants, were actively involved in the struggle against his regime.
in 1979. Soon after the revolution, they united to fight against the new reactionary regime, which hid itself under the cover of religion.
While the group had a favorable social and political position from which to organize the people's resistance against the Islamic despotism
and to defend the achievements of the revolution, it failed to achieve its goals. Some surmise that this was due to a lack of necessary political experience, an unclear view of how the people could be organized, and no comprehensive agenda to bring about a free, progressive and just society.
In the end, the Islamic medieval dictatorship seemed to benefit from the ignorance and illiteracy of the majority of the population and the organization failed to safeguard the achievements of the revolution.
The right current that is present in the reunified organization continue to promote reformist and conciliatory policies towards the regime. However, it has clearly distinguished itself both theoretically and ideologically from the Majority. When the dissolution of the Majority section into the Tudeh Party of Iran
was proposed, this group split from the Majority in defiance. In the following years this current, having learned its lesson from the previous failures, criticized its past policies and gradually returned to the revolutionary left movement
. In 1989, the Fedaie Organization of Iran was formed, as a result of the unity between this organization and the Organization for the Emancipation of Labour. (The latter had been established by the former cadres
and members of the Minority.)
The left current present in the reunified Union of People's Fedaian of Iran, was initially aligned with the Minority. In spite of its revolutionary stance against the regime, it adopted ultra leftist policies. The Minority also faced several splits because of the lack of a clear agenda.
The progress toward reunification of Fedaies was made possible through the revision of the theoretical principles, proposing clear political lines, dispensing with sectarian attitudes toward unity and coalition, learning from the past failures, and achieving principled understanding about democratic relations among the left forces as well as within the organization ranks.
The organization was established in April 1994, following the Convention of Unity Congress. It emerged as a response to a series of political, theoretical and organizational discussions between the two currents of Fedaie movement: Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas
Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas
The Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas emerged as radical Marxist-Leninist movement in Iran in 1971, formed to overthrow the Pahlavi regime...
and Fedaian Organization.
History
The Union of People's Feaian of Iran emerged from a series of political, theoretical and organizational discussions between the two currents of Fedaie movement: Organization of Iranian People's Fedai GuerrillasOrganization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas
The Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas emerged as radical Marxist-Leninist movement in Iran in 1971, formed to overthrow the Pahlavi regime...
and Fedaian Organization. During the last two decades of Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
's rule, members of these two organizations and other combatants, were actively involved in the struggle against his regime.
Revolution
All of these different groups took part in the Iranian revolutionIranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
in 1979. Soon after the revolution, they united to fight against the new reactionary regime, which hid itself under the cover of religion.
While the group had a favorable social and political position from which to organize the people's resistance against the Islamic despotism
Despotism
Despotism is a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power. That entity may be an individual, as in an autocracy, or it may be a group, as in an oligarchy...
and to defend the achievements of the revolution, it failed to achieve its goals. Some surmise that this was due to a lack of necessary political experience, an unclear view of how the people could be organized, and no comprehensive agenda to bring about a free, progressive and just society.
In the end, the Islamic medieval dictatorship seemed to benefit from the ignorance and illiteracy of the majority of the population and the organization failed to safeguard the achievements of the revolution.
Split
The first reaction to this failure resulted in the split of the organization into two parts: the Majority and the Minority. While the split revealed the right and left currents within the organization, a lack of the experience of internal dialogues and democratic standards meant that the splitting currents could not define their ideological, political and organizational differences. This led to more splits within the ranks of the Majority and Minority.Reunification
Some people from the left and right currents of previous splits have come back together under the Union of People's Fedaian of Iran banner.The right current that is present in the reunified organization continue to promote reformist and conciliatory policies towards the regime. However, it has clearly distinguished itself both theoretically and ideologically from the Majority. When the dissolution of the Majority section into the Tudeh Party of Iran
Tudeh Party of Iran
The Tudeh Party of Iran is an Iranian communist party. Formed in 1941, with Soleiman Mohsen Eskandari as its head, it had considerable influence in its early years and played an important role during Mohammad Mosaddeq's campaign to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and his term as prime...
was proposed, this group split from the Majority in defiance. In the following years this current, having learned its lesson from the previous failures, criticized its past policies and gradually returned to the revolutionary left movement
Revolutionary Left Movement
Revolutionary Left Movement may refer to:*Revolutionary Left Movement *Revolutionary Left Movement *Revolutionary Left Movement *Revolutionary Left Movement...
. In 1989, the Fedaie Organization of Iran was formed, as a result of the unity between this organization and the Organization for the Emancipation of Labour. (The latter had been established by the former cadres
Professional revolutionaries
The concept of professional revolutionaries, alternatively called cadre, is in origin a Leninist concept used to describe a body of devoted communists who spend the majority of their free time organizing their party toward a mass revolutionary party capable of leading a workers' revolution...
and members of the Minority.)
The left current present in the reunified Union of People's Fedaian of Iran, was initially aligned with the Minority. In spite of its revolutionary stance against the regime, it adopted ultra leftist policies. The Minority also faced several splits because of the lack of a clear agenda.
The progress toward reunification of Fedaies was made possible through the revision of the theoretical principles, proposing clear political lines, dispensing with sectarian attitudes toward unity and coalition, learning from the past failures, and achieving principled understanding about democratic relations among the left forces as well as within the organization ranks.
See also
- Guerrilla groups of IranGuerrilla groups of IranSeveral leftist guerrilla groups attempting to overthrown the pro-Western regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi were notable and active in Iran from 1971 to 1975. The groups shared a commitment to armed struggle, but differed in ideology...
- Iranian People's Fedai GuerrillasIranian People's Fedai GuerrillasThe Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas is an Iranian opposition organization. It has a Marxist-Leninist ideology. The group was formed in 1979, when Ashraf Dehghani broke away from the Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas...
- Organization of Iranian People's Fedaian (Majority)Organization of Iranian People's Fedaian (Majority)The Organization of Iranian People's Fadaian or Fedayan-e Khalq , 'Organization of self-sacrificers of the people of Iran ') is the largest socialist party in Iran and advocates the overthrow of the Islamic regime in Iran...
- Fedaian Organisation (Minority)
- Organization of Iranian People's Fedai GuerrillasOrganization of Iranian People's Fedai GuerrillasThe Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas emerged as radical Marxist-Leninist movement in Iran in 1971, formed to overthrow the Pahlavi regime...
External links
- http://www.etehadefedaian.org