New Tools, Old Goals: Comparing the Role of Technology in the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the 2009 Green Movement

Abstract

What is the role of communications technologies in the success (or failure) of modern revolutions? Mr. Rahaghi offers lessons from a comparison of their use in the 1979 and 2009 popular movements in Iran. Why did one using audiocassettes and pamphlets succeed, but the other using Twitter and Facebook fail? Rahaghi concludes that technology alone is no substitute for structure, leadership, grassroots organizing, and a concrete agenda people can rally behind. Technology cannot replace the fundamentals of organization, but it can help enhance and facilitate them. However, social networking tools could provide a key facilitation component to future social movements given the right circumstances. Recognition of how these communication tools could be incorporated into a larger strategy is what is necessary to achieve overall success.