Customer Reviews

Winds of Change: The Future of Democracy in Iran

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In his new book: Winds of change", Prince Reza Pahlavi of Iran openly calls for the clerics to peacefully step down and go back to the mosque. Thus allowing a secular Democracy to take over without any military interference or bloodshed. He voices the concerns of every Iranian disturbed by the present and seriously concerned about the future of the young Iranians under 30 , about 70% of the population. His campaign seems simple and achievable. He envisions a secular government, a civil society,a
true democracy with open dialogue with the west and most important based on the will of all Iranian people.
The international community should come to terms with the reality and Iran's strategic importance and give him all their support.

This book is well thought and well written. It speaks the loving and caring heart of Mr. Reza Pahlavi for his people (people of
IRAN); with a well thought plan of what needs to be done to bring about the change and provide economical improvements as well as freedom and peace to his people which are so desperately in need out there.

The book is well written and the reasoning presented is quite justified. I personally thought the first 3 chapters were light in substance but the rest of the book quite eye opening. My personal favorites were the last 2 chapters where some harsh possible realities were presented and discussed about my beloved Iran.

I strongly recommend reading this book to all Iranians and only wish it was translated in Parsi so all could read. Mr. Pahlavi should be commended for this initiative and I am 100% for "today only Unity" slogan that he has presented. Only through unity Iranians can be governed and not ruled.

One shortcoming of the book, in my opinion, is the lack of discussion about the advantages of a non-monarchy system in Iran. I believe the chapter on the advantages of monarchy was not presented within the context of today's world. It is true that there are monarchies such as Great Britain and others and they all have survived through the ages. But I hear a lot in the news that people of Great Britain are almost split in half over "long live the Queen".

On the same token I believe a fair discussion about a Republic Iran and why it won't work could have been beneficial to the readers considering I personally would have enjoyed reading what Mr. Pahlavi sees as the advantages of each over the other.

As a Pakistani, I am very concerned about what is going on in my region. While everyone in this world seems to be worried about Ben Ladin and Mullah Omar, there are only a few who can still remember that Islamic terrorism, fundamentalism and anti-Westerners ideas began with the Revolution of Mr. Khomeiny in Iran. The rest is only the consequences of what started in Iran!
Now, with Reza Pahlavi, as the future king or President or even a simple future political figure in Iran, it seems that the future could be more promissing for our region. I believe that everyone who is concerned about the future of this region has to read this book and the International Community should take Mr. Pahlavi's words very seriousely and assist him to succeed.
Once again, Iran is becoming the "Spiritual Mother" of our region!

This book arrived here yesterday. Today I sat outside with a Mountain Dew and a cigar and read the entire thing. Anyone claims to be interested in the future of the Middle East cannot seriously make that claim unless they have read this book. Also, any American who feels that Iran is nothing but a gaint radical Islamic nation that seeks to destroy the "Great Satan" through terror ought to read this book as well so they can begin to seperate the people of Iran from the clerics who rule them.

First Mr. Pahlavi quite simply lays out his goal for Iran, that it adopt a secular democratic government and remove the clerics' direct control over the political affairs of Iran. Once that has happened, he proposes a national referendum to decide the ultimate fate for Iran and the Iranian people. He contends that only once the clerics have been removed from their control of the state, and democratic order has been acheived, can Iran acheive the necessary freedom to enter into the exhange of ideals required before deciding their fate and that of their nation. After that, he just as simply lays out how he feels this transition can happen peacefully, and states why he believes the atmosphere is just right for that sort of transition. I sincerely hope that Iran in the near future experiences the transition Mr. Pahlavi plans to make reality so that one day I can visit the land of my ancestors.

Reza Pahlavi's book, "Winds of Change," outlines the failings of the Islamic regime, economically, politically and morally.

This is an intelligent and thoughtful book from the one person who is best positioned to bring about change that the Iranian people desperately need.

I highly recommend this book to all who are interested in international affairs.

Mr. Pahlavi is correct when he says the clerics who rule Iran live in a world divorced from reality. President Khatami TALKS all the time about meaningless things. He has charmed the Europeans but fails to address the REAL crisis Iran faces. For example - At last count the Iranian exiles are holding 600 Billion + dollars outside the country. Can President Khatami convince those people who ran for their lives in 1978-79 to return home? I think not. Worse as the generations change in a few years the old generation will be gone and their Americanized children will inherit the family fortune & Iran's future but they all came to America as children & many have become U.S. citizens. What will become of Iran if all it's National wealth evaporates?... If I am not mistaken the current generation are the first in 1000's of years in Persian history to inherit a standard of living below that of the generation before them. Most of these under 30 year olds have to sit and listen what a prosperous country Iran was -once upon a time. I suspect as the next election draws nearer Iran is going to become more volatile & unstable.

This is a very good book on Iran as written by it author, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran and educated at USC. He provides us with an in depth view of the current leadership now ruling a nation few know about its splendid history.

Iran has always been an opulent, sophisticated and enlightened culture as an early civilization. Persia had street lamps in their cities 4,000 years before any Western European nation. They prospered in welcoming all cultures, religions and races and becoming a melting pot that made Persia a bastion of knowledge and etiquette.

Alexander The Great invaded Persia knowing that free men fight better than slaves. King Darius at that time offered to split the empire to avoid war and continue prosperity for all. But Alexander refused calculating why take half when I can take it all.

Although Alexander enters Persia as a Barbarian, he came out wearing Persian robes, eating Persian food and practicing Persian customs of civilization. He cried great tears over the destruction his ambition and ignorance had wrought by his own hands and judgments. Ironically, the Iranian Theocracy finds itself in the same position as the last days of Alexander. They sought worldly power thinking they could force their religion on others but are losing their own souls in the process.

The Shah of Iran was one of the people who created OPEC so that they could rule their own destiny and jump into the modern world as partners not followers. The Mullahs and Clerics were able to undermine the Shah's modernization and have plunged this great nation into backward darkness. They seek weapons of mass destructions thus robbing the Iranian people of their natural leadership in the arts, sciences and commerce.

After reading the book, it is my opinion; Islam did unite and enlighten the entire Middle East enhancing many of precepts of Jewish and Christian philosophy and religion. In the 7th Century there is no question it led the world in medicine, philosophy and the sciences welcoming all men of wisdom to come to Teheran whether they be Muslim, Jewish or Christian. They judge each man by his knowledge and principles on treating other people, not his God, which was always a personal choice. These kinds of practices of tolerance actually foster trade and affluence even more for the people.

Nevertheless, since those days of enlighten men, Iran has been led by men of the cloth who claim to speak for Allah. They have corrupted the Quran by changing its words and meanings and confusing the people. One example is where the Quran says for women to submit themselves to Allah, but they have rewritten it to submit themselves to men. They teach children to kill instead of how to live to help others.

All societies that have put down Women Rights have created women too ignorant to raise intelligent sons and daughters. The legacy that awaits any culture preventing women from becoming equal in life, family and culture is backward futurism of de-evolution. They end up only subjecting themselves to other nations no longer following such barbaric ideas. Even Judaism and Christianity had to battle its own religious leaders bent on keeping secular governments free of religious bigotry so society can prosper with individual choice, personal values and still worship whom you choose too.

As the author points out the time has come for the "Winds of Change" to remove the Theocracy of Iran. The author outlines his vision for a democratic Iran built on individual freedom and personal Islamic values. He knows an Iran that tolerates other religions and cultures will prosper just like Islam did when it was created in the 7th century.

What few Muslims know is that so long as they keep women down, crush any dissent, refuse to let other worship as they wish, stop new ideas, enforce religious laws meant for people living in the Middle Ages, it places Islam at a disadvantage in the 21st century. They will keep their nation, culture and religion in the dark ages subject to conquest and control by other civilizations with far less history and values but superior in helping their people nonetheless.

The Clerics running Iran think they have come to their position from the grace of Allah, but soon they will find out they were created in the Board Rooms of Banks. Iran is led by wayward cults of personalities of Clerics built on corruption and spending for weapons of mass destruction that will do nothing to help their citizens or religion.

The beauty of Islam was how all people rich and poor, old and young, of all races, sex and cultures were attracted to such a pious religion built with principles, values and love for all. In my opinion, Allah has blinded the Cleric's eyes and hardens their hearts as they waste Iranian resources and wealth on such worthless concepts thinking it will free them, but it enslaves them in the end.

The author is a visionary knowing that Iranian Persian Culture can lead the world again as a friendly partner in the world community of nations. A peaceful Iran using its wealth to embrace the young noble people of Iran to choose individual freedom and prosper in new global markets will prevail over the Cleric's barbarism of terrorism. Iran is changing and when it does this book can be one of the blueprints to create a free Iran. I highly recommend this book to all if they want to understand Iran from an enlighten view.

Well reasoned and written with an accessable and consice language, the book takes the reader into the very heart of the quest for democracy in Iran. Iran, an ancient and strategically important country devastated by a revolution that ushered in years of fanatical religious rule, wars, economic sanctions, isolation from modern world, is facing the major challenge of entering the moderanized-twentyfirst century world. Mr. Pahlavi directly and intelligently focuses on the problem at hand, avoiding divisive arguments of past, thusly building the very building blocks for future collaboration among the various opposition groups.

His idea for a new government in Iran is clearly inline with the current views of democracy in the world, his arguments logical, and his nonviolent strategy for toppling the current regime applaudable.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this region of the world. He presents an optomistic and seemingly acheivable strategy for attaining lasting peace and freedome in Iran. A must read for all advocates of democracy in the region.

The majority of the political groups who came forward to contest the leadership of the Islamic Republic were the same people who had their hands in creating the mass hysteria which led to the current Mullah Republic. As a result, not many people found these groups or personalities credible enough to be followed.

Many Iranians rally around Reza Pahlavi as an Iranian Shahanshah because traditionally he symbolizes Iranian national culture and Iranians have rallied behind their kings after each and every national defeat. For such Iranians, Reza Pahlavi in exile represents their national culture being dislocated by lies, deceit, betrayal and malevolent intention of those Iranians greedy for power and those foreigners greedy for the natural resources of our country.

This book redirects the reader from such thoughts to think about what the author believes to be a more important issue, namely the step by step process for the average Iranian to take to achieve a Secular Democracy, as opposed to who has the social credibility to be the leader.

It is for those who believe that the majority of Iranians are honest, decent and kind. That they are simple people who were cheated. Their anxiety's with regards to modernization were manipulated into a mass hysteria. They expressed regret about what happened. They are being pressurized through terror and they should have a way out.