Discrepancies Between Official Narratives and Societal Realities in Revolutionary States

The 2022 protests following the death of Mahsa Amini marked a permanent psychological shift in the relationship between the state and the people. The brutal crackdown that followed stripped away the last vestiges of "revolutionary legitimacy" for many young people. In this context, the annual anniversary celebrations feel like a hollow performance or a "victory lap" for a security apparatus rather than a celebration of national unity.