By Dallas Darling | Al Jazeera.com

When Vice-President Joe Biden visited Baghdad this past Sunday on July 4th, it was a sad and miserable turn of events. One has to feel a sense of shame and remorse, in that, any other Western nation would have probably established a better democratic system than the United States Empire.

And while Biden was urging Iraqi leaders and their political factions to end months of delays in selecting new leaders, so that much needed legislation could go forward; and while suicide bombers struck government centers in Mosul and Ramadi; and even as mortar rounds exploded in the Green Zone-attacks that caused several casualties; it reminded me of the Iron Law of Oligarchy.

The Iron Law of Oligarchy was a political theory developed by German economist and sociologist Robert Michels. In his book Political Parties, and after observing several Western democratic systems, including the United States, Michels concluded that all organized groups are inherently undemocratic.

Thus, The Iron Law of Oligarchy states that organization is necessary to accomplish anything, but organization requires and leads to bureaucracy, and bureaucracy ends up with power in the hands of a few at the top.(1) For Michels, then, oligarchy existed and thrived in Western democracies through powerful political parties and their hierarchies which were not separated from the masses.

Regarding The Iron Law of Oligarchy and the United States – in Europe there appears to be more political party plurality and sharing of power – the Republican Party which supported the pre-emptive war against Iraq and its occupation, and the Democratic Party which continues the Republican-led war and military occupation, have both dominated American politics for over a century.

They have built-up and maintained massive anti-democratic and abusive power structures. From the Republican Party’s Religious Right and Conservative Imperialists, like the Project for a New American Century, to the Democratic Party’s Elite and Liberal Interventionists, a small group of war hawks and corporate financiers have ruled and controlled America’s domestic and foreign policies for their own purposes.

In the midst of the U.S. Green Zone, which actually reflects, and was built, by Republican and Democratic oligarchies, including their war machine, Biden met with Iraq’s Prime Minsiter Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite who is struggling to keep his position after his party lost the last election, and the Sunni-backed Ayad Allawi, al-Maliki’s challenger.

Absent from the discussions and democratic process were dozens of other political and religious parties, like the Sadrists, Islamic Labour Movement in Iraq, Communist Party of Iraq, Green Party of Iraq, Peoples Union of Iraq, and the neo-Baathists. Ironically, Biden made clear that a government that is not represented by all sides-no matter who leads it-will fall short of a thriving democracy, something which has not yet occurred in the United States.

And while Biden claims he is hoping for a peaceful transition in breaking Iraq’s political impasse, The Iron Law of Oligarchy, which the U.S. has projected onto Iraq and is now trying to impose, has only worked well in the United States because both parties are in control of the military. Michels also warned those at the top of a bureaucratic oligarchy will control information and mass communications systems, upon which its voting body of chief executives makes decisions affecting their constituency.(2) Most Americans are thus unable to separate their thinking from the Few, or the powerful elites and their minions, of the two major political parties: Democrats and Republicans.

While Democrats and Republicans expect Iraq to pattern its democracy after the United States’ Iron Law of Oligarchy, the people of Iraq should strive for a more inclusive and pluralistic political process. All political parties and their constituents needs-including faith based and nongovernmental ones-should be at least heard, if not met. A recent report revealed that after three decades of war, there are one million widows now living in Iraq. Hameeda Ayed, who has three children and lost her husband after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and its violent aftermath, stands endless hours in line for a few dollars. After several years of government bureaucracy, or The Iron Law of Oligarchy, which has also led to the neglect of her children, she exclaimed, “Our life has been turned into misery and desperation…This is what we got from occupation and the dreams of democracy: orphans, widows, homeless, displaced and fugitives.”

As an elite and professional politician with millions of dollars at his disposal and backed by an oligarchy-like political party, it was easy for Biden to say, “We are not disengaging from Iraq, our engagement is changing. We are moving from a military lead to a civilian lead…we have no preferred candidates, we have no preferred outcomes.” The unspoken reality, though, is a political culture of vote-buying, corporate lobbyists, billionaire donors, manipulative districts, ballot box abuse, and a controlled media that socially engineers an electorate. With Iraq’s petroleum and proximity to Iran-not to mention lawsuits against U.S. corporations and their private security firms for causing death and destruction, and a possible war crimes trial for those who ordered the pre-emptive war against Iraq-look for more widows, orphans, homelessness, and the rule of The Iron Law of Oligarchy.

— Dallas Darling is the author of Politics 501: An A-Z Reading on Conscientious Political Thought and Action, Some Nations Above God: 52 Weekly Reflections On Modern-Day Imperialism, Militarism, And Consumerism in the Context of John‘s Apocalyptic Vision, and The Other Side Of Christianity: Reflections on Faith, Politics, Spirituality, History, and Peace. He is a correspondent for www.worldnews.com. You can read more of Dallas’ writings at www.beverlydarling.com and wn.com//dallasdarling.

Notes:

(1) Hill, Kathleen Thompson and Gerald N. Hill. Real Life Dictionary of American Politics. Los Angeles, California: General Publishing Group, 1994., p. 146.

(2) Ibid., p. 147.

Blog @ nazen.tk

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O comunicador e ativista político, Nazen Carneiro, formado em Relações Públicas pela Universidade Federal do Paraná, foi correspondente internacional temporário de “Gazeta do Povo” em Teerã, no Irã. Já fez reportagens do Irã, Romênia, Turquia e Grécia, escrevendo sobre a relação do Oriente Médio com o mundo.

Tendo passado pelo Rádio, atua também como ativista cultural e produtor independente do evento mundial pela paz, Earthdance.

Leia os blogs recomendados ao lado.

His father Sayyed Abdul Ra`ouf Fadlullah: Born in 1325H/, went to Najaf and studied with Mirza Fatah` Ash-Shahid, Sayyed Abul Hassan Al-Asfahani, and Sayyed  Abdul Hadi Al-Shirazi. He became a prominent scholar and a widely sought and appreciated teacher. He stayed with his brother, Sayyed Muhammad Sa’id and went to the south of Lebanon when the latter died. There he continued his studies and became a religious authority capable of issuing religious decrees (Fatwas). He was known for his piety asceticism and good morals. He had a great influence on his son who benefited a lot from him until he died.

Education:
Sayyed Fadlullah went first to a traditional school (Kuttab) to learn the Quran and the basic skills of reading and writing. Then he went to a modern school where he stayed for two years and studied in the third and fourth elementary classes. Sayyed Fadlullah began Islamic theology studies at a very young age.  He also used to take great interest in the whole cultural and literary scene, which he followed up by reading Lebanese, Egyptian and Iraqi magazines and newspapers.

Sayyed Fadlullah also studied the Arabic language, logic and Jurisprudence, and some philosophy. He did not need another teacher until he studied the second part of the course known as Kifayat al Usul which he studied with an Iranian teacher called Sheikh Mujtaba Al-Linkarani. He attended the Bahth Al-Khariji (External Research) in which the teacher does not restrict himself to a certain book but gives more or less free lectures.

Teachers
Sayyed Fadlullah attended the Bahth Al-Khariji of some of the greatest scholars and religious authorities of that time including: Sayyed Abulkassim Al Khou’i, Sayyed  Mohsen AL-Hakim, Sayyed  Mahmoud Shah`roudi, Sheikh Hussein Hilli, Mullah Sadra Al-Qafkazy who was known as Sheikh Sadra Al-Badkoubi.

Academic and literary Activities
When Sayyed Fadlullah was only ten or eleven years old, he joined hands with some friends in publishing a hand written magazine they called Al-Adab. He then took part in editing the Al-Adab magazine (1380H) that was published by Jammat Al- Ulama (Scholars’ Group) at Najaf. He used to write the second editorial called “Kalimatuna” (Our Message) and these articles were then compiled in a book called, “Our issues in the light of Islam”. The first ”Our Message” editorial was written by Martyr Sayyed  Mohammed Baqir As-Sadr.

Back to Lebanon
After 21 years of studying under the prominent teachers of the Najaf religious university, Sayyed Fadlullah concluded his studies in 1966/1385 H and returned to Lebanon. He had already visited Lebanon in 1952 where he recited a poem mourning the death of Sayyed Muhsin Al-Amin.

In 1966 he received a invitation from a group of believers who had established a society called ”Usrat Ataakhi” (The family of Fraternity) to come and live with them in the area of Nabaa’a in Eastern Beirut. Sayyed Fadlullah agreed, especially as the conditions at Najaf impelled him to leave.

In Naba’a, he began organizing cultural seminars and delivering religious speeches that discussed social issues as well.

Nevertheless, his main concern was to continue to develop his academic work. Thus he founded a religious school called” The Islamic Sharia Institute” in which several students enrolled and later became prominent religious scholars including Martyr Sheikh Ragib Harb., one of the main founders of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon. He also established a public library, a women’s cultural center and a medical clinic.

When the Lebanese civil war erupted in 1975, he was forced to leave the Naba’a neighborhood. He moved to the Southern suburb of Beirut where he gave priority to teaching and educating the people. He used the Mosque as his center for holding daily prayers giving lessons in Quran interpretation, as well as religious and moral speeches. He even opened a religious school in the Sayyeda Zeinab (daughter of Imam Ali and sister of Imam Hussein pbut) neighborhood in Damascus, where he used to teach regularly.

Resistance:
Sayyed Fadlullah was a staunch fighter against arrogance and for the cause of freedom. He supported the international liberation movements and devoted his efforts to guide and back the international Islamic movements.

In this context, he took part along with Martyr Sayyed Muhammad Baqir As-Sadr in founding the Islamic Movement in Iraq as a first step towards an Islamic movement in the Shiite sphere. Then, in the late seventies, he announced his support to the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic movement in Lebanon with all the means possible to ensure its success: speaking, writing, and defending its major arguments at every opportunity.

In his sermons, he strictly called for armed resistance to the Israeli occupations of Lebanon and Palestine, along with opposition to the existence of Israel. The media described him as the spiritual guide of the resistance. Before long he became the target of several assassination plots executed by local regional and international intelligence services.

Attempt of Assassination:
On March 8, 1985, a car bomb equivalent to 200 kg of explosives went off at a few meters from his house in the Bir El-Abed neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburb. 80 people were martyred and 256 were wounded, most of them were children and women. The blast destroyed a 7-story apartment building, a cinema. The attack was timed to go off as worshippers were leaving Friday Prayers. “Sayyed Fadlullah escaped injury, as a woman had stopped him at the mosque seeking a few answers to some religion-related questions.

Sayyed Fadlullah accused the US, Israel and its internal allies of being behind the explosion.

Social Activities
In addition to academic and religious activities, Sayyed Fadlullah concentrated on social activities.

His Mabarrat Association was born, and it soon became one of the greatest pioneers and models in this field. The association which began its activities by building orphanages expanded and began to build social and medical centers as well as mosques.

The Mabarrat has now nine orphanages, two medical centers nine schools, one Vocational School, eight Islamic centers and other Media and Information centers.