99 Problems
August 12, 1953 — U.S. Editorial
August 12, 1953 — U.S. Editorial
| The Mossadegh Project | December 16, 2015 |
This non-syndicated editorial was published in various U.S. newspapers, including:
The Daily Herald (Provo, Utah) — August 12, 1953
The Oneonta Star (Oneonta, New York) — August 13, 1953
The Logansport Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, Indiana) — August 13, 1953
Election In Iran
Premier Mohammed Mossadegh recently conducted an election [referendum] to determine the “will of the people” on the matter of dissolving the Iranian parliament. The vote turned out to be 99 per cent in favor of Mossadegh.At first glance the election might seem to be a domestic way of finding out just what the people want done. A second look, however, is not so reassuring.
The balloting was not secret. There were separate polling places for pro and con voters and each voter had to mark his ballot with his name and address. Unless balloting is secret, elections are undemocratic.
In a state where one man has a great deal of power, as Mossadegh does in Iran, voting against the administration might prove to be unwise when the vote is a matter of public record. The elections give Mossadegh the show of public support he wanted. But any pretense that this is democracy is a profanation of the word. Many totalitarian offenses are committed in the name of free elections.
Related links:
Mossadegh Alone At Last — The Times Record, August 17, 1953
One Man Rule — August 18, 1953 editorial
Democracy In Eclipse — The Christian Science Monitor, August 3, 1953
MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”
