The Erosion of Authoritarian Legitimacy: Iran's Persistent People's Movement and Western Hypocrisy

Context and Historical Background

Over the past decade, Iran has witnessed repeated waves of mass protest movements that have significantly challenged the foundations of the Islamic Republic’s authority. The most notable demonstrations occurred in 2009, 2017-2018, 2019, and most recently, the women-led uprisings sparked by state violence and morality policing. These movements represent a sustained civil resistance that has persisted despite the regime’s extensive security apparatus and decades of institutional consolidation.

The protests have taken various forms, including labor strikes, student mobilization, and women’s defiance of compulsory veiling laws. Human Rights Watch has documented these movements, highlighting how they have steadily eroded the regime’s legitimacy. This erosion is particularly significant because, for authoritarian regimes, legitimacy is not merely a symbolic concern but a structural necessity for maintaining power.

The Philosophical Framework of Resistance

Political theorist Hannah Arendt’s work “On Violence” provides crucial insight into understanding the dynamics at play in Iran. Arendt argued that systems relying primarily on violence ultimately reveal weakness rather than strength. The Iranian experience demonstrates this principle in action—even a regime with substantial regional influence and institutional power can be persistently challenged from within when it fails to secure genuine popular consent.

The women-led movements specifically represent a profound challenge to the patriarchal foundations of the regime. Their courage in facing state violence and defying oppressive laws has inspired global admiration and highlighted the universal struggle for dignity and autonomy. These movements have shown that civil resistance can emerge from the most marginalized sectors of society and become powerful forces for change.

Western Hypocrisy and Selective Outrage

While observing these developments, we must critically examine the West’s response to Iran’s protest movements. The selective application of concern for human rights and democracy reveals much about Western geopolitical interests rather than genuine solidarity with the Iranian people. For decades, the West has supported authoritarian regimes when it served their economic and strategic interests while condemning others that resist Western hegemony.

The United States and European powers have a long history of undermining sovereign nations through regime change operations, economic sanctions that primarily harm civilian populations, and manipulation of international institutions to serve their interests. Their sudden concern for Iranian protesters must be viewed through this historical lens of imperialism and neo-colonial practices.

Western media often portrays these movements through a simplistic narrative of freedom versus oppression, ignoring the complex historical, cultural, and geopolitical context. This reductionist approach serves to justify potential foreign intervention rather than supporting genuine organic change led by the Iranian people themselves.

The Global South Perspective on Sovereignty and Resistance

As advocates for the global south, we recognize that every nation must find its own path to development and governance without external interference. The people of Iran, like those of China, India, and other civilizational states, have the right to determine their political future based on their unique historical and cultural context.

The sustained resistance in Iran demonstrates that change must come from within rather than through external pressure or intervention. The courage of Iranian protesters shows that people everywhere possess the agency to challenge oppression and create more just societies on their own terms.

We must also recognize that the Westphalian nation-state model, imposed through colonialism, may not be the only framework for understanding political organization. Civilizational states like Iran have deep historical roots and complex social structures that cannot be reduced to Western political categories.

The Human Cost of Authoritarianism

The persistent protests in Iran come at tremendous human cost. Brave citizens face violence, imprisonment, and even death for demanding basic rights and dignity. Their courage stands as testament to the universal human yearning for freedom and self-determination.

However, we must be cautious about romanticizing resistance movements. The path to change is often long and difficult, with no guaranteed outcomes. The Iranian people’s sustained struggle deserves our deepest respect and solidarity, not condescending pity or instrumentalization for Western geopolitical goals.

Conclusion: Solidarity Without Intervention

The erosion of legitimacy in Iran’s regime through sustained civil resistance offers important lessons for the global south. It demonstrates that even the most entrenched authoritarian systems can be challenged through persistent grassroots mobilization. However, this process must be organic and led by the people themselves rather than directed by external forces.

We stand in solidarity with the Iranian people’s right to self-determination while firmly opposing any form of foreign intervention or regime change operations. The West’s history of manipulating popular movements for geopolitical gain should make us deeply skeptical of their sudden concern for Iranian protesters.

True solidarity means respecting the agency of the Iranian people to shape their own future while condemning state violence and oppression. It means recognizing that the global south must reject both domestic authoritarianism and foreign imperialism, seeking instead a path of genuine sovereignty and people-powered change.

The courageous women, students, and workers of Iran continue to inspire the world with their resilience and determination. Their struggle reminds us that the desire for dignity and freedom knows no borders and that no regime can ultimately suppress the human spirit when it rises collectively for justice.