A detailed examination of the leadership of Massoud and Maryam Rajavi over the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) indicates that the group’s ruling system aligns with the concepts of ponerology and pathocracy. Reports and documents on psychological manipulation and tyranny within the Rajavis’ ruling meet these theoretical frameworks and their application to the MEK’s documented practices.
Ponerology and Pathocracy and their Theoretical Frameworks
Ponerology, a term coined by Andrezej Lobaczewski, is the interdisciplinary study of evil, specifically focusing on the origins, development, and spread of evil on a large scale within societies and political systems. *
It posits that certain psychological deviations, particularly psychopathy, can infiltrate and ultimately dominate social structures, leading to the formation of “pathocracies”.
A pathocracy is a system of government where individuals with personality disorders, especially psychopathy, rise to positions of power and systematically impose their distorted worldview and values upon the populace. This result in a society characterized by oppression, manipulation, and systematic destruction of normal human bonds and ethical principles. [IBID]
Key characteristics of pathocracy, as described in ponerogical literature, include:
Psychopathical infiltration: individuals with psychopathic traits, such as a lack of empathy, manipulativeness, superficial charm, narcissism and a propensity of deceit, gain control of key institutions.
Systematic manipulation and propaganda: The ruling elite employs sophisticated psychological techniques to control information, distort reality and indoctrinate the population. This often involves the creation of an “us vs. them” mentality, demonization of external enemies, and the suppression of dissent.
Erosion of normal human values: Empathy, compassion, and independent thought are discouraged or punished while obedience, conformity and loyalty to the ruling ideology are highly valued.
Internal purge and terror: Dissenters or those perceived as threats to the ruling power are often subjected to severe punishment, including imprisonment, torture, or execution.
Cult of personality: leader or leaders are often deified and their pronouncement are treated as infallible.
Isolation from external reality: The group or society becomes increasingly isolated from external scrutiny and information, reinforcing the internal narrative.
The MEK: Structure and Practices
The MEK, founded in the 1960s, began as an Islamic-Marxist organization opposing the Shah of Iranand later the Islamic Republic. Its structure and internal dynamics have been the subject of extensive scrutiny, particularly regarding its leadership under Massoud and Maryam Rajavi.
Centralized leadership and ideological control
The MEK is characterized by an extremely centralized and hierarchical leadership structure, with Massoud Rajavi and later Maryam Rajavi, at its apex. Massoud Rajavi who disappeared in 2003, remains a titular leader, while Mrayam Rajavi has assumed the role of “President-elect” of the so-called “National Council of Resistance of Iran”, the MEK’s political vitrine. This leadership presented as infallible and the sole interpreter of the organization’s ideology.
The MEK’s ideology, a blend of Islam and Marxism, has evolved over time but consistently emphasizes absolute loyalty to the leadership and the revolutionary cause. Members undergo intensive ideological training and reduction sessions.
Psychological manipulation and “ideological revolution”
Numerous accounts from former MEK members and analysis by scholars describe a system of pervasive psychological manipulation within the organization particularly after the “Ideological Revolution” initiated by Massoud Rajavi in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This “revolution” aimed to purify the organization and solidify the Rajavi’s control.
Key elements of this alleged ideological revolution and the actual psychological manipulation include:
Forced divorces and celibacy: Based on the order issue by Rajavi, named “ideological revolution”, members were compelled to divorce their spouses and live in celibacy, with the stated aim of dedicating themselves entirely to the revolution and eliminating personal attachments that could compete with loyalty to the leadership. This practice is seen by critics as means to break down individual identity and foster dependence on the group.
Daily self-criticism sessions: Members are required to participate in daily sessions where they confess their “ideological shortcomings”, “sexual deviations” and “bourgeois thoughts”. These sessions, often public and humiliating, serve to reinforce conformity, suppress dissent, and expose any deviation from the prescribed ideology.
Information control and isolation: access to external media, family contact, and independent information is severely restricted. Members live in isolated camps, primarily Camp Ashraf in Iraq and then Camp Ashraf 3 in Albania where their only source of information is the MEK leadership. This creates an echo chamber where the MEK’s narrative is unchallenged.
Deification of the Rajavis: Massoud and Maryam Rajavi are presented as messianic figures, embodying the revolutionary spirit and the ultimate truth. Their pronouncements are considered sacred, and questioning the leadership is equivalent of treason.
Emotional manipulation: The MEK’s leadership exploit members’ emotional vulnerabilities, including their desire for purpose, belonging, and a better future for Iran, to secure their unwavering loyalty.
Tyranny and abuse in the MEK’s ruling system
Beyond psychological manipulation, there are numerous reports and testimonies on tyrannical practices and human rights abuses within the MEK. These include:
Physical abuse and torture: Former members have reported instances of physical abuse, including beatings, sleep deprivation, and solitary confinement, for expressing dissent or attempting to leave the organization.
Forced labor: Members are reportedly subjected to long hours of labor with little to no compensation, contributing to the organization’s self-sufficiency.
Suppression of dissent: Any form of criticism or questioning of the leadership is met with severe repercussions, leading to climate of fear and self-censorship.
Prevention of departure: Members who wish to leave the organization are often prevented from doing so, sometimes through force or intimidation, and are subjected to intense pressure to remain.
Application of ponerology and pathocracy to the MEK
When examining the MEK’s ruling system through the lens of ponerology and pathocracy, several parallels emerge.
The highly centralized and authoritarian nature of the MEK, coupled with the absolute power wielded by Massoud and Maryam Rajavi, aligns with the concept of a ruling elite that has systematically eliminated internal opposition and consolidated control. The “ideological revolution” and its associated practices, such as forced divorces, daily self-criticism, and severe information control, bear a striking resemblance to the methods described in ponerological literature for creating a compliant and ideologically uniform population. These practices can be interpreted as a deliberate effort to dismantle individual autonomy and foster complete dependence on the organization and its leaders.
The deification of the Rajavis and the suppression of any critical thought or dissent are hallmarks of a cult of personality, a common feature in pathocratic systems where the leader’s aythority is unquestionable. The use of physical abuse and the prevention of members from leaving further underscore a tyrannical environment where individual rights are systematically violated.
While it is beyond scope of this analysis to definitively diagnose individuals with psychopathy, the systemic outcomes described by former members and human rights organizations- namely, the pervasive manipulation, the erosion of normal human relationships, the suppression of empathy, and the systematic control over information and individual lives – are consistent with the characteristics of pathocracy.
The MEK’s internal environment, as depicted in critical accounts, appears to have fostered a culture where loyalty to the leadership superseded ethical considerations and individual well-being, a key indicator of pathocratic system where distorted values are imposed.
The systematic nature of these practices, their long duration and their profound impact on the lives of MEK members suggest a deliberate and sustained effort to reshape individual psycology and social dynamics within the organization to serve the interests of the ruling elite. This aligns with ponerology’s focus on the systemic nature of evil and its manifestation in political structures. The MEK’s structure, therefore exhibits many characteristics that resonate with the theoretical constructs of ponerology and pathocracy. Particularly concerning the psychological manipulation and tyrannical rule under Massoud and Maryam Rajavi.
Mazda Parsi
*Loaczewski, Andrzej. Political Ponerology: A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes, Grande Prairie, AB, Canada : Red Pill Press, 2006.