Speech [The need for factory owners to change their methods in the revolutionary era]

I want to tell you something by way of exhortation; something about the basic nature of the matter that you mention. What I wish to say as an admonishment is that the factory owners ought to change their methods somewhat from what they were during the time of the previous regime. The reason is that if something happened during the days of that regime- which the people considered as being un-Islamic and taghouti- they would say that it had happened under that regime. And if the workers had some trouble, or some incitement made them riot and go on strike, they would be suppressed by force. But the situation this time is different from that. All of us claim that the country is an Islamic one now, and should be run according to Islamic tenets. If it so happens in an Islamic country that, God forbid, disturbances break out in factories because of the workers' grievances not being addressed, the disturbances will concern a country that claims to be Islamic. Neither will the clergy be able to do anything about it, nor anybody. The reason is that at that time the clergy could do something; they could say that certain people, un-Islamic in their outlook, had done those things. But if it so happens that disturbances break out among the workers in a country that is Islamic, it will not be possible for situation to be controlled. This is a grave danger that threatens all of you and all of us. Therefore, the factory owners should be careful not to behave with workers as they did in the time of the ex-regime. They should behave with them in a brotherly and friendly manner. The workers are not the type to be extravagant in their ways. They want to be able to live (comfortably). The gentlemen should see to it that they are able to do so to the extent they want, and thereby prevent an explosion from taking place, the control of which is not possible. I said" explosion". In case there is disappointment with the Islamic government and an explosion occurs, nothing will be able to stop it; quite the opposite of an explosion occurring somewhere and the people seeking refuge in Islam. This can be controlled. But if a country becomes Islamic with the conditions remaining the same as before but Islamic in name and taghouti in deed, and if an explosion were to occur, God forbid, given all the intrigues and conspiracies that, you see, are taking place, it would be an explosion against Islam. Such an explosion is one that claims to be Islamic and in which the people have become disappointment with Islam and Islamic programs. It is an explosion that nobody can prevent. The other people who are aggravating the situation are saying the same things:" Things have not change, only the name has changed; at that time it was called the Imperial Government, and today it is known as the Islamic Republic, but the reality is that the problems are the same ones, and so are the workers, the employees, the people, the usurers, and the bullies." If, God forbid, an explosion were to take place in such circumstances, it would be different from the other ones. It would not leave anything for anybody. Therefore, the gentlemen should keep this in mind and not let such a thing happen. And this lies in you making some concessions to the workers. They do not want to be on the same level as you; they just want to live (comfortably). You who have everything, thanks to God, who own factories and have many employees, should help them with your own hands for your own good, and for preventing an explosion from taking place by which everything will be ruined and everything of the country destroyed. You should do certain things for them to see that they are being taken care of in the circumstances that now have arisen. The government, of course, is attending to them, and we, too, will advise and attend to them. But the point is that they, these workers, should see that in the Islamic Republic, the people at the helm- who were known as employers at that time- have arranged to deal with them in another way. It is not what the communists and the deviated people are making propaganda about. They are to be dealt with in a better manner and their way of living and needs looked into.

This sort of things is no more practical in this day and age, in that a group at the top (of society) and have the best of everything that they want- villas, cars and other luxuries- while another group lives in slums around Tehran looking at them (the upper class). It should not be like this. It is not logical from the viewpoint of Islam and equity; and neither is it right. And it will not be easy to quell uproar once it begins. You have to think of helping them. You ought to sit down and arrive at an understanding among yourselves in order to protect yourselves, your families, your wealth and your prestige. I said the same things which came to my mind to the other groups- a group had come from Isfahan- that came to visit me. I told them to give some consideration to this matter so that these class differences do not exist in this manner, and that some evenness is maintained. Islam demands a balance to be maintained. It neither prevents accumulation of assets nor does it allow the assets to be such that one possesses hundreds of millions of dollars, and even a car for his dog and a chauffeur and such things, while another person has to go home at night to his children without any bread. This situation should not exist; it is not practical. Neither does Islam approve of it, nor does any human being.

Half of this problem can be solved by you; half of it. You can solve half of it, if not the whole of it. The other part rests with the government: to build houses for them and- I should say- make life for them to the extent that these poor ones want.

Do not think that the workers are saying that they want cars and villas. There is no such talk. They want to lead a life (of comfort). They want their lives to be such that, on going home, if their children tell them that they have no shoes, they should be able to buy the shoes for them. They are human beings; they get upset. You just think that you have a dear child, who wants something when you go home, but you are not in a position to get him what he wants; is it not upsetting? You want to give it to him but do not have it. Supposing that- on going home- he sees that his father has not brought bread for him. Well, think about it. It is not logical on your part to say that you have authority; full authority, and what you ought to be, to be something and the others nothing! It cannot be so. What I am now saying is from the political point of view. The political aspect necessitates that the factory owners and the employers think over the matter and solve these problems themselves. When the Isfahanis had come here, I told them to form something themselves; to form a committee and discuss the matter among themselves and arrange for some assistance to be given to these people( workers )so that they are pleased with you, and also work well for you. And so that the" explosion"- that is probable and about which I am worried- will not take place. This is the topic that I mentioned and which I am stating as an admonishment. It is a vital matter which should not be taken lightly. Perhaps you are not paying sufficient attention to the problems at present. But the time (to solve them) may pass; you may lose time and no remedial action will be possible. Neither would we be able to control the situation nor you. This has to be considered.

 

I should talk about the topic that concerns these issues, and that concerns me. Of course, some of them concern the government- one concerns the Ministry of Labor, another concerns- I should say- others. One of these is that we will not allow a single step to be taken contrary to Islam. Islam has specified ownership on the basis of legitimacy and permits it. If those who have factories and industrial units own them legitimately, it is all right. The government does not plan to interfere with the privately owned factories. The proposal that the government has given- which I have not yet studied completely and carefully- concerns a group of people who have acquired their possessions by illegal means and have taken them away and used them up, etc. These properties belonged to others. The factories that are like this will be nationalized. And this is justifiable. There is another group that is in debt to the government to a greater extent than what they have there (abroad). There is also another group of people that are not so much; they have no debts. They, themselves, were partners. Their partners consisted of people like the Shah, for example, and those like them. Others have had private partners. They may come; their companies are safe and secure. There are also others who can run the companies themselves. They may do so.

This is not a communist country. The government, whatever it is, is not a communist one; it is an Islamic government. The government cannot challenge ownership of the extent that Islam recognizes. It will be put aside if it does. It is not what you think in that the government wants to appropriate any and every factory; they had said the same thing concerning the lands. But this was not the issue. The lands in question were barren lands. Barren lands are those that nobody has developed. These had been sold at that time (of the ex-regime). All the sales were wrong; nobody can sell wastelands. They demarcated them and then sold them. Even that is wrong. Those barren lands will be confiscated, but consideration will be shown to those (owners) who are able to develop them. But who will confiscate a plot of land that somebody has cultivated and owns? Who can confiscate it? These matters are not debatable; they are Islamic issues; Islamic programs. I have yet to see any of their statements or plans being contrary to Islam or requiring such things. The rumors that are rife are many. Upon something being said about the confiscation of barren lands, rumors suddenly arise that they (government) intends to seize people's houses and lands! What the people, who have no official responsibility say, talk about and write in the newspapers is immaterial. The criterion is what the government and its spokesman say. The newspapers write whatever they like and the people devoid of responsibility say what they want. This has nothing to do with the government and Islam. We have to follow the Islamic line. I will not allow the government to leave the path of Islam as long as I am alive. And I am hopeful that we, too, will not leave it (the path of Islam).

You (the factory owners) may continue with your work, but keep that matter, about which I spoke to you, firmly in mind and pay great attention to it. You must think of them as being your children. Think that you had a son who went home without any bread for his children. Think how (distressed) you would feel about it. Think a little about these people who are working for you, about these people who are slum dwellers and about these who have nothing. The government, of course, is also busy, but these unjust people went away leaving behind such destruction that cannot be repaired so soon. Wherever you point your finger, you will find destruction. They took as much as they could as loans from the banks and went away. The things that they have now left behind, such as buildings and similar things, all have to do with the loans they have taken and departed, and which must be repaid. It is not as we thought that this wealth that they had left behind would be sufficient to ameliorate the condition of the poor. We set the Bunyad-e Mustaz`afin [Foundation for the Downtrodden] with just these assets but after the matter was investigated, what things they found! They had robbed such a lot and left. And they took loans recently; as soon as they realized that there was the possibility of them having to leave, they borrowed from the banks in every way they could, and so robbed them and took the money away. This Bunyad-e Mustaz`afin does not have much in assets. It came to light that it was not as we had thought that it would be sufficient for us. We have to extend our hand to the nation once again so as to save these deprived people, these helpless ones and these slum dwellers. We have to approach the nation, and the nation will have to accomplish this task.

Every one of us must join hands and make efforts together so that these people become moderately well-off, so that no injustice be done to your brothers and fellow creatures. Consider them as your own brothers. Do not consider the workers and those who turn the wheels of industry as servants; consider them as your brothers, as your children. See what their needs are. If your children have needs, you fulfill them as much as you can. These people (workers) are not asking for much; just enough for a moderate standard of living. It should not be so that they are not able to acquire anything! This would, God forbid, result in a situation from what we think.

May God protect all of you. You must think of setting this country on track. If you think that the government can do it alone, it cannot. Whether it can work by itself (or not) is not the point. If you think that one class of the people can do the job, they cannot. Every single person, wherever he may be, should get busy in serving the country so that this work is done. I, a seminarian, sitting here should advise the people to the extent my seminary profession allows. You the factory owners, who are enjoying God's favor, should carry out your work to the extent of your ability, and the cultivators, too, according to their own ability. Everybody should set matters right in his own place of work so that Iran is built up by you, yourselves, and the plunderers, in various forms and ways, do not come here to take away everything that belongs to you, or the fruits of your endeavors. This depends on the need for us to rise up and not consider the matter to be over. The task of reconstruction at the present time is more difficult than the previous task. Previously, it did not require great application to drive them away. That is, apart from application, clenched fists and clamoring were required. But now, enterprise is called for; everybody ought to be enterprising and perform (the tasks) for the sake of God. May He make all of you successful.