(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
Sovereignty was never under European Colonialism
Political/Economic Change
Safavid Empire(1501-1736)
Shi'i tes who took over Persia, converted all people to Shi'ism , enforcing Twelver
Shi'ism(12th descendant of the prophet will come back and destroy evil.) Safavid ruler
was the shah but there were checks and balances to prevent power abuse
Qajar Dynasty(1749-1925)
Turkish descended family who competed for power after Safavids.Dominated by
foreign powers and became dependent on them.Persians believed gov't would pay the
Europeans and ignore their interests = Constitutional Revolution 1905-09. Business
leaders/ merchants were heavily influenced by the British and demanded a
constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. A new consitution was created +
elected representative assembly (Majlis) and a Guardian Council (Shia clerics that
review/veto laws passed by Majlis- failed to gain independence from foreign powers
Pahlavi Dyasty (1925-1979)
• Colonel Reza Khan initiated a coup against the Qajar dynasty and became an
absolute monarch, reducing the power of the Majlis until there were no checks.
• Replaced by his son Muhammad Reza Shah due to his relationship with Germany
(unhappy UK/Russia)
• Muhammad Reza Shah focused on being democratic. Strongest opponents = Tudeh
Party (Communist)/ National Front (led by Mohammad Mossadeq) – both opponents
wanted to nationalize resources (oil, domestic investment) to create a welfare state.
Mossadeq was PM of the Majlis and nationalized a British oil company = Operation
Ajax
• Operation Ajax (motivated by US/UK communism fear) : discredited Mossadeq and
Tudeh Party as “anti-Islamic” ( Mossadeq was imprisoned for treason = life sentence)
Shah returned to governing autocratically – seen by the people as the Pawn of the
West.
• Rentier State : revenue relied on foreign companies rather than taxation Lack of
taxes did have bad effects on democratization and civil society formations. The
state cared more for foreign companies to gain power. If the people didn’t like it, they
could be repressed because of the large amount of money that can be used by the
state.
• White Revolution (1963): Shah attempt to reduce leftist forces in Iran Forced the
sale of unused land and giving them to peasants = new landlord class created.
Expanded education programs Gave women the right to vote and work out of home
Banned Polygamy Created a judicial system modeled on the West.
• Islamic clerics saw the white revolution as an abandonment to Shia teaching traditions
• The Shah kept centralizing power and moved away from the Iranian citizens 1975-
Abandoned competing parties in the Majlis and created a one- party state (Resurgence
Party) that required membership and dues (taxes) from all Iranian citizens. Iran was
becoming increasingly totalitarian than authoritarian.