The Islamic Republic of Iran

Quick Facts• Capital: Tehran

• Population: 80.8 million

• Growth rate: 1.22%

• Size: slightly larger than Alaska

• Major Languages: Persian (Farsi)- 53%, Turkic - 18%, Kurdish - 10%, Arabic – 2%

• Religion - Shi’a Muslim (89%), Sunni (10%); Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Baha’i (most persecuted) & Christian (1%)

• Gov’t Type: Theocratic Republic

Quick Facts• Importance of Shi’ism - religion has

united Persians even in defeat; source of identity for the Iranians

• Shi’ism established as state religion in 16th century

• Shi’ites established after death of Muhammad - argued successor should be hereditary while Sunnis said he should come from leadership

Quick Facts• Shi’ites called heirs of Muhammad

IMAMS, which continued until 9th century when 12th Imam disappeared as a child (HIDDEN IMAM)

• Hidden Imam will eventually return but until he does, rulers of Iran stand in his place as true heirs of Islam

Political Development• The Safavids (1501-1722)

• Shi’ite identity traces back to this time

• Converted 90% of their subjects

• Sunnism survives in border regions amongst Kurds, Turkmen, Baluchis, & Arabs

• Safavids had special regard for People of the Book (monotheists)

Political Development• The Safavids had serious economic

constraints, making it hard to rule - no bureaucracy or standing army

• Had to rely on local rulers to keep order & collect taxes

• Fragmented by geography and other political & economic factors caused Safavids to lose power

Political Development• The Qajars (1794-1925) - Turkish grp.

• Separation b/t gov’t & religion widened as Qajars could not tie their legitimacy to descendant of 12 Imams

• Ruled during era of European imperialism so suffered land losses

• Sold oil-drilling rights to British & borrowed heavily from European banks

Political Development• CONSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTION

of 1905-1909 - business owners & bankers demonstrated against Qajar’s move to hand over their customs collections to Europeans

• Merchants & industrialists demanded written constitution from shah & British encouraged shah to concede since no army to put down insurrection

Political Development• Constitution of 1906 modeled after

Western ones (elections, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, Bill of Rights)

• Created Majles - strong legislature to balance executive power

• Given power to make & pass laws & control cabinet ministers

• Sparked debate abt sep.of rel. & state

Political Development• Shi’ism declared official state religion,

only Shi’ites could hold cabinet positions, created Guardian Council of clerics that had power to veto any legislation passed by Majles

• But during WWI, Iran divided into 3 parts - Persia, one Russian controlled, one British controlled

• 1921- political & economic disarray

Political Development• The Pahlavis (1925-1979)

• Reza Khan carried out successful coup d’etat & declared himself shah in 1925

• Majles lost power & authoritarian rule reestablished

• 1941 turned power over to son Muhammad Reza Shah

• 2 groups challenged the 2nd shah

Political Development• Tudeh Party (working class trade

unions) & National Front, led by Muhammad Mosaddeq (middle class nationalists)

• Mosaddeq argued for nationalization of oil, which was controlled by Brits

• Elected prime minister in 1951 & power grew, forcing shah to leave in 1953

Political Development• Mosaddeq removed from power by

Brits w/help from US, who wanted shah installed to protect from Soviets

• Iranians came to see Brits & US as supporters of autocracy & shah as weak pawn of foreign powers

• Rentier economy - heavily supported by state expenditure, while state receives rent from other countries

Political Development• Iran received income by exporting its

oil & leasing out oil fields to foreign countries

• Income so great by 1970s that gov’t no longer had to rely on internal taxes for its support but paid most of its expenses through oil income

• Gov’t didn’t need people anymore

Political Development• One-product economy but shah

encouraged import substitution industrialization for domestic industries

• But oil provided 97% of country’s foreign exchange

• Highly centralized state under 2 Pahlavi shahs

Political Development• State controlled banks, national radio-

TV network, & National Iranian Oil Company

• 5th largest army in the world by 1979

• Majles became rubber stamper

• Courts secularized with European style judicial system & law code

• Shah implemented WHITE REVOLUTION.

Political Development• Called that b/c it was meant to counter

the “red communists”

• Focused on land reform, w/gov’t buying land from absentee owners & selling it to small farmers affordably

• Extended suffrage to women, restricted polygamy, & allowed women to work outside of home - further secularization

Political Development• Pahlavi shahs established tax-exempt

Pahlavi Foundation, a patronage system that controlled large companies that bolstered wealth of shah & supporters

• 1975 - formation of Resurgence Party announced by shah - declared Iran 1-party state w/himself as head

Political Development• Islamic Revolution & Republic (1979-

today)• Unlike revolutions in Mexico, China,

& Russia, Iran’s was religious in nature w/leader being a cleric

• Revolution resulted in establishment of theocracy while other revolutions generally against religious control of gov’t

Political Development• Shah had disturbed Iranians –

perceived as totalitarian & not just authoritarian, broke balance between secular & religious, & tied too much to West

• He divided nation – one for modernization & closer ties to West while other side defended traditions, esp. Shi’ism

Political Development• Charismatic authority of Ayatollah

Ruhollah Khomeini, who defended Islamic fundamentalism

• Depicted US as “Great Satan”• 2 factors brought on revolution – oil

prices decreased while consumer prices increased & US put pressure on shah to loosen restraints on opposition (allowed many groups to speak)

Political Development• April 1979 – Iranian people voted out

monarchy & constitution drawn up by Assembly of Religious Experts (directly elected clerics)

• Several factors brought clerics popular support – world oil prices rebounded so social programs could be offered, Iraq invaded, & charisma of Ayatollah inspired faith in the gov’t

Political Development• 1989 – Khomeini died & Khamenei

succeeded him• Not as charismatic or academic• New era began in Islamic Republic• After Iran-Iraq War ended in 1988 &

world oil prices fell again, many called for a more democratic gov’t as population criticized authoritarian rule of clerics

Political CULTURE• 1. Authoritarianism, but not

totalitarianism

• 2. Union of political and religious authority

• 3. Shi’ism & sharia as central components

• 4. Influence of ancient Persia (distinction from Arab Middle East)

Political CULTURE• 5. Geographic limitations – mostly

desert

• 6. Escape from European colonization – Iran never officially colonized by Europeans so did not have as direct impact as in Mexico or Nigeria