ABSTRACT

The spontaneous protests, with no previously known leaders, raised all kinds of demands. The mass worker demonstrations stopped after about a week, but isolated protests continued. While the economic demands enjoyed widespread support, the protestors' political demands and tactics were far more controversial. The mass protests only lasted one week and no acknowledged leaders emerged. Previous large opposition movements focused on political issues, and supporters came mostly from middle-income people, students, and intellectuals. Eric Margolis' argument had appeal, however, because the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has a long history of overthrowing governments by creating or manipulating mass movements. While the principalists ruined Iran's economy with inflation and corruption, the reformists adopted neo-liberal austerity measures. The 2018 demonstrations were significantly different because they attracted young workers who protested the country's serious economic problems. The poll indicated Iranians as a whole opposed overthrowing the government. The Green Movement took advantage of the government's tradition of holding large marches on various anniversaries.