Speech [The consequences of being intellectually dependent on the west - a sense of loss of direction in the East]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Time has already run out. The weather too is cold. You, friends, are sitting pressed to one another in a house that is rather wet. All this causes inconvenience. In spite of this, I would like to say a few words with you.

No nation can attain independence unless it should understand itself. Nations are unable to attain independence because they have missed and lost themselves, and surrendered to others instead. It is to a great extent regrettable that our country, which is rich in Islamic culture- has ignored these rights. It follows the West. The West in sight of a class among this nation has posed an appearance as if there were nothing anywhere except the West. In its conjecture there exists no value beyond the West. Such an attachment and dependence- mental, intellectual, and ideal- upon foreign is the real source of misfortunes of the nations, and our nation too.

In every matter that used to happen, the intellect of those at the helm of affairs used to rely on the West. The West was their Jerusalem and they were ignorant of themselves. One of the intellectuals «1» among them (at that time) is said to have told that unless we do not make everything English we will not be able to ascend the ladder of progress and perfection. Such were the intellects that were at the head of affairs. And on the other hand the propaganda too was actively run by the West and its followers. Perhaps now too it might be the same. This resulted in turning our intellects into Westerns and the West itself became a Jerusalem to us. Indeed, it takes long time till we get rid of this Westernization implanted in our hearts and minds.

Although this existed fifty years ago but these recent fifty years particularly when this profane person, Muhammad-Rida, ascended the throne, it reached to its perfection. Affiliation with West came into being in every aspect. Though our judiciary, our legal rights, the issues of our rights, the issues of our culture- all are advanced ones and more progressive than those in other places, yet in every thing they reached their hands and borrowed from other places. Even in the early times of Constitutionalism, «2» these matters were less in existence. Yet Westernization was in influence. The constitution of that time was borrowed from the West. This nation should discover itself and discover its culture, which is a rich one. Otherwise, this nation can not be reformed. Now the schools, the colleges, the institutes that we have are all similar in system with the Western ones. The courts of law too are likewise. They have grasped everything from the West. Culture- such a rich one- they have repelled only to adhere to that of the West and that too a culture which is not pristine, not original. They have adhered to the culture of Western imperialism. West has for every thing its own imperialism, that is medical imperialism, cultural imperialism and everything else. It even exports the same to the countries lagging behind, undeveloped ones. They export what is compatible to them, what is befitting to them. This is only a pretext. They mean a complete dependence upon them. They want us to be affiliated with them. The things that they give to us are such so as to bring affiliation with them and dependence upon them. They do not want us to be independent. Agents trained by them and exported for us have also lent them a helping hand. The thought, your society they have molded such that a thing if not in a Western fashion, the society would reject it. Such a thing perhaps might have become less because of this present campaign. You well know before it was to such extent that people did not accept a medicine or cloth or anything else if it did not bear or carry a Western name. Our streets should carry a Western name. Those who plundered us, rendered us weak and feeble, victimized us by their atrocities- now, strange enough that our streets are named after them. For instance, Roosevelt Street. «3» Anything if did not carry a Western name, the people did not accept it. A medicine if not told that it has come from West, people would not purchase. The things made locally would not attain a market unless it carried a Western name. This is the Westernization that governs all the aspects of our life- our bazaar too is hit by this Westernization. Even today our relation is westernized. The real and actual growth cannot be achieved unless the nation gets rid of this mental and intellectual dependence on the West. As such you too cannot be independent.

If you want to free yourself from all the affiliations, you should put aside the affiliation, that of mind and of heart. Do not think that whatever they, the Westerners, have is good. For instance, suppose one has achieved progress in industry. This does not mean that it is a progress in their culture. This is wrong conception and erroneous calculation is ours. Suppose a nation or a country manufactures aircraft. But they reflect the same to us in such a way that we presume that every thing of that nation or that country is as advanced of an aircraft. But in reality, it is not so. Their culture is not like that of ours. The science of laws is not like that of ours. Similarly, their other sciences do not stand to the level or our sciences. Their science of philosophy is not like ours. In the field of medicine, they have taken it from East. In the Western colleges till recently the Eastern books were taught. Perhaps even now the same may be the case. It we want to come out of this helplessness we much repudiates our mental affiliation with the West. Our colleges should take pains for a long time to come for the sake of our youths. They should transform from their previous condition imposed upon them by the Shah's regime. Of course, it is tedious to turn them, the youths, to a healthy surrounding under Islamic regime. Our youths too should be serious. I mean in the sense to find out them their true selves. Now they are missing themselves. They have lost their own selves. At the name of West they should not lose themselves. You yourself have seen that you stood against the West, and that too in a field in which they are far advanced that is weaponry and military side. So what I say is this: Confrontation with them is a thing quite possible as you yourself have undergone it. You stood against them with empty hands. Of course, you won. Before if we were told that we want to say nothing, which might make Americans angry, this was enough to create fear for us. We would have been terrified with junk and fear. In the past too it was such and the same. If a thing used to occur then the ambassadors who were here in Iran either that of British or of Soviet Union or of America used to come and give a warning. This was enough. At their warning all used to withdraw and retreat from their stands. But today, you stood against them. The big powers, but you confronted them. All were serious. You made your adversary to retreat. This shows and proves that it is possible to stand against the big powers of West. In this campaign you have discovered yourself. This dawned upon you that with empty hands you can overrun the Western powers. Likewise, in the cultural field too you should discover yourself.

Now they are planning to divert your attention to themselves in whatever direction possible. Their effort is to make you affiliated and attached with them. This attachment or affiliation they will not let go or vanish. You, my dear students! You make yourselves ready and well prepared to come out of this Westernization. Something of you is lost. You should find out that lost one of you. It is you. East has missed itself. East should discover itself. They want to impose themselves upon us in whatever way possible. So, you should fight. It is you who want to be free, independent. It is you who want to stand on the legs that are your own. All classes of the people in this country should determine to be themselves. The peasants should determine to bring out their food themselves from their lands. They should make their country self-sufficient. The factories should be self-sufficient. The people of this country should run the factories. The universities should be at their own without the need to depend upon the West. This should be the basis of every thing that it should depend upon the intention of man. A man should be able to have the intention to perform a thing. Fear should not be brought about that deters the determination or intention of man. Before too, fear was created and imposed on us. For instance, the royal organizations, the king's courts were the elements of fear to us. This resulted that we were deprived of intention. We were not able to intent to contradict the existing things. So, we never gave expression to our contradiction. We even could not presume the possibility of contradicting the things. But God the Almighty desired. You had the intention. And all happened and took place. Now too it runs the same. Do not fear the West. Have the will and it will happen. Our scholars, our professors, nobody should fear West. Our youths too should not fear the West. The East should have the will and movement against the West will take place. May God preserve you, the youths, for the service to Islam. May God protect all who are serving in the Foundation of the oppressed ones. May God protect the students and all the classes of the people. May you advance with every strength and be prosperous.