(1) Persians generally united sovereignly under different regimes
(2) Iran legitimancy comes from the Islamic Revolution and Constitution
produced by it.
(3) Country United by revolution leader Ayatollah Khomeini
(4) Post Khomeini = Iran's political procceses turning more institutionalized - theocratic institutions of leadership above elected republican institutions
Components of Political Culture
AUTHORITARIAN NOT TOTALITARIAN (remember uprising under shah actions)
SHARI'AH LAW (Legal system based on Islamic principles emphasis on Quran- governs politics,economics, society-
since revolution has functioned as the supreme law of Iran)
WEST VS EAST(positioned as a
middle eastern power resistant to
western influence throughout history
UNION OF POLITICAL/RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP (Islam replaced zoroastrianism
in persia and since then tied to the country's history/ is a bond of unifiing
society)
Geographic Influences on Political Culture
Located on massive plateau- higher than its neighbors
Little arable land (explains conquering in Persian history