Hopes and Fears of a Revolutionary | Hasan Yousefi Eshkevari

Short Abstract:

This book offers a reflective window into the essence and fate of a revolutionary seminary student from the 1960s and 1970s (1340s–1350s in the Iranian calendar), as seen through the lens of daily events in the first six years following the 1979 Revolution — with entries continuing up to the year 1986 (1365).

What unfolds in this sequence of dated entries — hence aptly titled as a daily journal — is the gradual erosion of ideals once held firmly by a committed and hopeful activist. This individual, deeply attached to the Revolution, faithful to the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini, and trusting of several then-prominent figures, begins to lose faith in the realization of the Revolution’s proclaimed goals. As the days pass, hope gives way to doubt, anxiety, fear — and ultimately, disillusionment.

The writer’s eyes open to the stark and bitter realities of the post-revolutionary experience. He comes to a sobering realization: the problem lies not simply in the misconduct of this or that official, but rather in the unrealistic expectations rooted in the ideological vision of the Revolution — particularly the notion of “clerical Islam” and the doctrine of velayat-e faqih (guardianship of the jurist), under the ambiguous and at times contradictory concept of an “Islamic government.”

The title “Hope and Fear” reflects this very trajectory. Accordingly, as the narrative progresses, the writer’s critical voice toward events, authorities, and even Ayatollah Khomeini becomes increasingly direct and transparent.

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