Really nice pictures of Iranian labour force at work. People often talk about political and religious revolution/repression in Iran. an often forgotten fact is that Iran's revolution in 1978 was much owed to labour unionists who brought Shah's regime to a halt by going on massive strike. The labour plight in Iran continues; but the IRI has a more heavy handed approach to dissident unionists than the Shah did! 
But, we rarely hear about it. We rarely hear about it in the west because those labour disputes sound a bit "socialistic". and if the generally capitalist members of the Western hemisphere hear about it, they might admire IRI's "crushing communism!" ;)(Which is what IRI did effectively, by massive execution of the leftist labour activists in the 80s!) Anyways, these are nice pictures--testimonials to Iran's passage to the age of modernity.
Yes they are humorous at times.
Yes they are humorous at times.
But Iran is a funny country, where people don't take life AS seriously as an average citizen of the industrial world does.
I am one of those who is skeptical about Iran's rush for industrialization. I want the Old Persia preserved.
But, I have the luxury of not needing a job or a better life in Iran. I have had the luxury of feeding from earth, from water, from trees, from plants for generations before me and generations after me. I have had the luxury of not having to labour to be fed.
It is against my luxurious past that many a workers, many a farmers rebelled. What happens in a country, irrespective of the political will imposed from "above", is the sum total of the bottom up aspirations f its people. And to the will of my people, I can only humbly submit. I only pray that we won't loose the spiritual essence of our Persian heritage in the process. 
4 comments:
Naj:
You are not looking it at the right way.
Our Japanese friends were considered barbarians when they confined themselves to the production of beautiful objects and the Fine Arts. They became civilized (by the Europeans and Americans) when they industrialized, built war ships, and defeated Russia in 1905. [I own a copy of an old epic poem, written by a Mirza Shirazi after the Russian defeat, called Mikdao Nameh.]
We also need to deal with the population explosion.
God willing, some day, because of industrialization of Iran, the arrogant powers will not even dare issue journalistic threats against Muslims and Iran.
pen Name
Also, the constructions workers have to have their soft-drink with their lunch. Without the soft drink there will be revolution, no doubt.
pen Name
Naj,
I'm wondering if the new construction makes you think that Iran will lose it's Persian culture?
PenName has a point when he speaks of population pressure. People have to live somewhere, right? At least it's Iranians doing the work, right?
Besides, some of the newer ways of constructing buildings are more safe when are earthquakes.
I wondered recently why there were so many deaths in a 6.3 in Italy. Turns out it was villages with really old buildings.
Of course there is also corruption
nunya:
Persian culture, like all other cultures, has to change or it will die.
Thanks God that we are not the same people as we used to be 100 years ago.
At that time, we were just like Afghanis.
pen Name
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