The Last Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran

Robin Wright has reported from over 120 countries for many leading news organizations, but her perceptive coverage of Iran has garnered her the most respect and praise among her colleagues. In The Last Great Revolution, Wright meticulously describes the ongoing transformation of society, politics and religion that ranges from the empowerment of women to the blossoming of a movie industry and an independent press. She demonstrates why Iran's Islamic revolution equals the French and Russian revolutions in new ideas and impact, while standing alone as "the last great revolution" of the modern era.

There is probably no person better suited to write this book on Iran's cultural and political transformation than Robin Wright. She has traveled to Iran as a reporter since 1973, when the country was "one of the few comfortable places for foreigners"--including women--to live and work, a place where "short skirts were acceptable" and women "wore bikinis on the beach." But the revolution in 1979 changed all that: "For anyone who'd been to Iran before, the new Islamic Republic of Iran seemed almost like a different country." There was the revival of religious fundamentalism, the hostage crisis, a costly war with Iraq, the sponsorship of terrorism, and Iran-Contra. Iran became one of the most perplexing and vital beats in all of journalism, a touchstone for Middle Eastern politics and an emerging presence on the world stage--and Wright has been there for more of it than any other foreigner.

The Last Great Revolution is a sweeping portrait of a misunderstood country. Much of it is anecdotal rather than analytical, but all is in the service of illuminating what Wright calls "the world's only modern theocracy." She writes of an airline stewardess who gave Wright Band-Aids to cover her nail polish before entering the country and a customs official who ripped up her deck of playing cards one by one. But there are also unexpected opportunities for women (they can become engineers and lawyers), plus a measure of religious freedom (there are communities of Christians and Jews). Old and new ways are in constant conflict: "All the current signs indicate that the Islamic Republic is not likely to survive in its current form." --John J. Miller

This book begins its message with in effect a status report of the Revolution that took place in Iran in 1979. It bases its report in the fundamental phases of a traditional revolution. This book suggests that the Iranian Revolution is now in its fourth and final phase. The author places this revolution is on the same plateau as the French and Russian revolutions as it represents the last major sect of life to reach out for liberty. That's right; Khomeni was brought in to fill the void left by the deposed shah who was alleged to have violated the liberty of the Iranian man. It was not the intention of the Ayatollah or the revolutionist for the revolution to have the religions overtones that it had. The country has since experienced four political leaders, each who have experienced the forceful hand of the Islamic fundamentalist mullahs and dealt with them in different ways. Twenty years later the author tells of an experience where by when cornered by Iranian activists, they inquired more about whether Pink Floyd had a new album out, as opposed to the American political position. The revolution is in its fourth stage of revolution and it becomes time to evaluate if the whole journey was worthwhile. This book does a fabulous job making sense of what's in the mind of the Iranian people. It allows you to share in the irony of their quest for liberty. The following is a summary of Iran's past twenty years and a co-conclusion.

After a brief summary of the biography of a revolution and then a specific foray into this particular revolution, the book moves in to detailed examples of the Cleric imposition. This imposition is found not only in politics but also upon the famous modern philosophers of Persia. Abdul Karim Soroush who had emerged as one such person who was being acclaimed to carry the comparable philosophical weight to Germanys Martin Luther. Soroush promulgated debate within Iran both about its political future and the evolution of the Islam faith. After Iran survived the initial challenges of ten years of war and fundamental Islamic imposition, Soroush attempted to get Iran back to the initial intent of the revolution by addressing the questions that the Clerics could not answer. While the Clerics appointed Soroush to a position to realign all university studies to the Islamic faith, they would not tolerate his call to include the perspective of Western and Jewish ideals. The mullah position was generally stated that inclusion by freedom of speech only empowered the position of the West and Israel and was a slap in the face of Islam.

Aside from the political government body, Iran also has an assembly of 86 Experts (Fiqih) to influence that body. The people are supposedly learned and virtuous. These Clerics actually over-ride via "influence" all political decisions. In the election of 1998, a time when the Revolution was quite a bit tempered since 1979, the Clerics went to extreme measure to ensure that candidates for political office were from a narrow field. This resulted in a low turn out at the polls and a question mark about the concept of the Fiqih. The people embraced the concept of the Fiqih, but did not agree in the roll of the Fiqih or the Assembly of Experts. The Faqih has evolved to be just another dynasty as opposed to the Supreme "thinker" that was intended.

In Iran as different as things may be, there are similarities for instance from one family comes three cleric leaders; one from the left, one from the middle and one from the right. While they agree on family and religion, they dispute politics with rigor. Sounds like an American/Irish Catholic family to me. A fundamental argument is centered on whether any one person is above the law. For Iran this is the Faqih. For Americans this pertains to our President. And indeed in both countries this leader does have in, varied degrees and through different venue, immunity to the law.

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This is a very disappointing book. I have followed Ms. Wright's works on mideast and I often happen to agree with her. But this book is one of her weakest ones. Probably smiling Mullahs deceived her too. There's nothing great about the revolution in Iran. Inflation? Oppression? High rate of suicide, addiction and prostitution in a society where these issues were almost non existent until "The Last Great Revolution" seized power from the westernized government of the late Shah of Iran in 1979. I really don't understand what's so great about it. She admits to being put in hijab before getting off the airplane in Tehran after the revolution and then she compares the treatment she got before the revolution. Well, a society that oppresses women is not so great. Is it? Any how, this book is another attempt by the Liberal and Leftist journalists in the west to show a rosie picture of the Iranian regime and if I didn't know, i would be fooled too. This is a disappointing work. Can't recommend it.

This book was out of touch with reality in Iran. The author of the book was expressing that theology state of Iran was going through transformation and the state was becoming more liberal minded. The author forgot that the theology state of Iran {IRI} would not change their policies. These rules of God could not be change.

Robin Wright is known to many Iranians as a Mullah Apologist. In this book, she continues her delusional commentaries on the status of the Islamic regime in Iran. What baffles me is why she did not mention anything about the widespread use of torture, murder, summery execution, and other sadistic tactics of the Mullahs to suppress opposition. As an Iranian, I am disgusted by people like Robin Wright who become partners in the crime of the Islamic regime by defending them in exchange for favors.

The Islamic regime in Iran is one of the most brutal dictatorships ever known to man. Robin Wright has done the people of Iran injustice by putting a good face on the Islamic regime.

Shame on her.

As an Iranian myself I enjoy reading books by Western authors on Iran more than by Iranian authors. The reason for this preference of mine is because I have found that Iranians can never let go of their personal feelings/situation/experience when discussing the revolution and the aftermath.
While Robin Wright may not be 100% right on everything she has a good understanding of Iran and she shows it in the book. It is exemplified by the fact that she uses Crane Brinton's theories on revolution from 'The Anatomy of Revolution' in explaining how the Iranian revolution has shown the same characteristics that Brinton discussed. Anyone who wants to understand a revolution must read Brinton's book and I was glad and impressed that Robin Wright had done so.
While many Iranians who dislike the current government will blast her for the good that she writes about, and the pro-government Iranians will blast her for the bad that she mentions; Robin Wright has written an excellent book well worth reading, even if you don't agree with it.
I hope she continues to write on Iran and hope the quality of her work continues to be outstanding.