Has Iran found its "Stalin"?

Harvard Professor of History Niall Ferguson thinks so (link courtesy of Hugh).

Obviously, Ahamadinejad's victory is proof that democracy in the Middle East does not necessarily translate into victories for Western liberalism. On the contrary, it may reveal the popularity of fundamentalism and nationalism among the impoverished Muslim masses. But it also suggests that Americans and Europeans alike are misreading the trajectory of the Iranian revolution.


Besides the fact that sometimes I think that academics live in a bubble, I generally don't agree with Ferguson's analysis. The world is rapidly changing and the "subdued masses" of revolutionary regimes aren't going to stay that way for long. We live in an Information Age, where the Internet has become a global medium for the free exchange of ideas. It's only a matter of time before the Iranian people tap into that power and realize that there is a progressive world out there that is not held back by repressive Islamic fundamentalism. I have confidence that they will soon emancipate themselves, hopefully with the support of the U.S. and the powerful MSM. Does Ferguson really believe that Iranians are fully content living under the conditions that they are under right now? Does he really believe that the election of Ahmadinejad was a true gauge of popular opinion? I sure hope not, otherwise his tenure might be in jeopardy.