How do you think the world would be different if the Iranian revolution never happened?

Question

Please only serious answers only. Do you think things wouldn't be different at all or do you think that it would have prevented some of the Middle East tension that we have now.. Also do you think it was a good thing or a bad thing?

Answer 1

Three big things

-There wouldn't be anywhere nearly as much anti-American sentiment in the Middle East
-The Middle East would probably be less volatile than it is today and maybe more progressive
-Islamic terrorism, lacking safe havens of chaos and state sponsored religion (Islamic fascist states and the like) would be nowhere nearly as powerful

In terms of American politics... Without the hostage crisis, there is a good chance Carter would have won re-election in 1980 and with the defeat of Reagan the American conservative revolution would have more or less been dead in the water. No George Bush I as President and probably no Bush Jr as President either. No Bill Clinton either, because he was a reaction to Bush 41.

Answer 2

The Iranian Revolution can be clearly laid at the door of France. For decades the French Gov't harbored the Ayatollah and administered to all his needs and provided him round the clock armed protection after many foreign national governments (including America and Britain) sought to have him assassinated!

France arranged and oversaw the provisions allowing him to fly into Tehran. France provided every conceivable means of support and protection and diplomatically forbidding many foreign nations, in the strongest language possible, not to interfere!

Iranians were led to believe his coming would be a great awakening for its people.. Many were the attempts made to dissuade the younger generation that only despair, grief, suffering, sorrow and a return to the past arena of a deplorable and despotic past would only ensue. But Ayatollahs henchmen had over the years done their work and poisoned the minds of people old and young.

Within 18 short months all upper echelons of the army, government, powerful families, the Shah’s supporters, wealthy businessmen and industries were systematically annihilated. Civilians in there thousands imprisoned and tortured. All young women forced to wear the veil and forced into marriage. All pubs, bars, discos, restaurants, night clubs closed and owner’s assinated and their families imprisoned and ruined. Untold thousands fled the county taking whatever they could carry.

Today, Iran has a little boy playing President. Whereas in actual fact he’s a little puppy dog taken from a village and trained to obedience by the Clerics. The Clerics joyfully declaring he was freely chosen and elected. What is Iran today! No more than an imprisoned country, under strict Islamic doctrine and rule, set back 400 plus years. Where it shall so remain until its people once again rise in revolt to eject its intolerant sub human clerical masters.

Answer 3

of course, the world would be completely different.
US policy focuses only in short time benefits, they supported the revolution under democracy slogan, but as we know it was just a crap, how come religious fanatics can build democracy.
The same case with Asama Bin Laden, they have trained him to help them to fight against USSR in Afghanistan. Now it is a problem for them as well as Iran.

But at meantime we need to focus on the future of the world, I don't really want that there was another war, cause already US involved in two wars, and the third war will just hurt the Iranians as American tax payers.

There is less possibility of the war since the Chinese and Russians are backing up the Iran.

Let's wait and pray that the case will have its diplomatically resolution rather than military.

Answer 4

A better question would be:

How do you think the world would be different if the US and UK had not helped the Shah overthrow the Iranian secular democracy in 1953? (They did it because Iran would not sell them cheap oil.)

US foreign policy has always been based on two stupid ideas:
1) What's good for us this year?
2) My enemy's enemy is my friend.

Short term thinking always comes back to bite you on the rear.

Additional:

Wrong, "Hollis". The French may have given Khomeini sanctuary, but would he have needed sanctuary if the Shah didn't exile him during his brutal regime? Would Khomeini have been able to generate support for an "islamic revolution" if Iran had stayed a stable democracy?

Highly unlikely. If you want to blame someone, blame those for enabling the destruction of a Iran's civil society: the Yanks and the British.

Answer 5

yes their government are quite close friends if iranian regime does not threat israel never can find excuse to expand it's tiny territory on palestinian soil , look see why there has never been peace even for a month between palestinian and israelis.they are many jewish people in iran as well iranian jew in israel,since the beginning they were closest friends just go through history.israelis built a lot of infrastructures in iran as well Shah of Iran supported them back with oil

Answer 6

It was an unfortunate thing.America backed a horse that was living high on the backs of his people and it caught up with us. It really only affected Iran and America in a political sense. The families of those who lost their lives lost more. Peace.

Answer 7

The rise of fundamentalist Islam in Iran has been really awful; potentially catostrophic if the mullahs get a nuke.

Answer 8

in my opion less death on both sides . my opion?