For nearly half a century, Western media and political opponents have weaponised a truncated quote by the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini: “Economy is for donkeys.” This soundbite is frequently used to suggest that Islamic governance is inherently dismissive of economic development and the material well-being of its citizens. However, as explored in a recent documentary by Kurdish filmmaker Mostafa Johari, this quote has been fundamentally misrepresented. Far from dismissing the importance of providing for the people, the full context of Khomeini’s words offers a scathing critique of the Western capitalist model and its reduction of human beings to mere economic units.
The Full Context: A Critique of Dehumanisation
The actual quote, found in Volume 9 of the Sahifeh-ye Imam, paints a vastly different picture. Khomeini stated:
“Those who talk about economy and see it as the foundation of everything, they imagine that the human being is an animal whose entire existence is eating and drinking... Those who see economy as the foundation of everything, they see the human being as an animal and an animal’s entire existence is sacrificed for its economy. A donkey’s entire existence is its economy.”
In this light, Khomeini was not telling people to ignore the economy. Rather, he was diagnosing a fatal flaw in the modern Western socio-economic framework. He argued that when a society elevates wealth and material production to the ultimate purpose of human existence, it strips humanity of its spiritual and moral dimensions, effectively treating people like beasts of burden.
The Western “Donkey System”
To prove this point, the documentary contrasts this Islamic philosophical framework with the realities of the “richest country in history”—the United States. Despite its immense wealth, the U.S. grapples with staggering systemic failures that highlight the hollowness of a purely materialistic model:
Homelessness: Over 745,000 people experience homelessness on any given night, with hundreds of thousands living unsheltered on the streets.
Medical and Student Debt: Over 100 million Americans are burdened by medical debt, and a staggering $1.8 trillion in student loan debt traps 43 million citizens, often for life.
The Epidemic of Loneliness: The U.S. Surgeon General has officially declared a loneliness epidemic, highlighting a society where individuals frequently die alone, disconnected from community and family ties.
In a system where a hospital bill can cause bankruptcy and human worth is determined by a credit score or productivity, the “donkey system” Khomeini warned about is vividly manifested.
Resilience Under Pressure: Iran’s Economic Reality
The video also addresses the genuine economic struggles within Iran, arguing that Western critics conveniently omit the devastating impact of decades of crippling international sanctions. Since the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and the re-imposition of maximum pressure campaigns, Iran has been largely cut off from global banking and trade. According to the UN Human Rights Council, these sanctions have severely restricted access to life-saving medicines, affecting thousands of children with cancer and patients with rare diseases.
Despite this economic warfare, Iran has maintained a strong push for self-reliance. Today, Iran produces 97% of its medicines domestically and exports pharmaceuticals globally. This resilience aligns with the very principle Khomeini championed: a nation that stands on its own feet retains its dignity, whereas a nation entirely dependent on foreign masters loses it.
The Political Weaponisation of the Truncated Quote
The truncated quote continues to be a staple for opposition figures, most recently used by Reza Pahlavi during a 2026 CPAC speech to attack the Islamic Republic. Yet, his proposed “Iran Prosperity Plan” envisions opening Iran’s markets to generate trillions for the Western economy, treating the nation not as a sovereign state with human citizens, but as an “untapped market” for foreign shareholders. Ironically, this vision perfectly embodies the exact “donkey” philosophy Khomeini warned against—reducing a nation’s entire existence to its economic utility for foreign powers.
Conclusion: Two Visions of Humanity
Ultimately, the debate over this quote boils down to two fundamentally different views of human nature. The Western capitalist model dictates that you are what you earn, what you own, and what you consume. The Islamic perspective counters that a human being’s value is derived from their faith, their principles, their sacrifices, and their moral character.
Ayatollah Khomeini’s warning was never about neglecting the economy; it was about protecting human dignity from a system that would turn men and women into beasts of economic burden. For the readers of Islamic Digest, this is a vital reminder that true economic justice cannot be achieved when material wealth eclipses the spiritual and human core of society.
Reference: Mohsen Johari
