1. The Islamic Republic of Iran

2. Key Concepts  The overwhelming majority of Iranian citizens are Shi’ite Muslims even though the majority of Muslims in the world are Sunni.  With the removal of the Taliban from power in Afghanistan the Islamic Republic of Iran remains the only theocratic regime currently in power throughout the world  A quarter of the Iranian population is under the age of 15; the median age is 26.

3. Key Concepts  Iran maintains a dual executive system, in which both the supreme leader and the president play a role in governing Iran.  Authoritarian rule was emphasized by Iranian shahs and reinforced by Shi’ism, which allots a great deal of respect to the most learned scholars and clerics.

5. Key Concepts  Oil is the primary export commodity for Iran. In the course of the twentieth century, Iran became dependent upon oil, which provides about 80% of its annual budget and finances 90% of its imports.

6. Key Concepts  Most Iranians are Persians, not Arabs. They have a different cultural history and ethnic heritage than that of other Middle Eastern cultural groups. Iranians have also maintained a strong affinity for their own language, Farsi.

7. Introduction “This is the voice of Iran, the voice of the true Iran, the voice of the Islamic Revolution.” – Iran national Radio 2/11/79  The Islamic Republic of Iran was born out of Persia in 1979.  This announcement signaled the beginning of a great conflict between Fundamental Islam and the West culminating with 9/11.  Samuel Huntington predicted this conflict in 1993 with his “Clash of Civilizations”.

8. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power  Iran’s ideal of sovereignty can be traced back to the days of the ancient Achemenian Empire (Persian by the Greeks).  Greatest rival was the Ancient Greeks.  Persia had highly centralized military leadership.  First clash in West v. East ???

9. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power  Iranian sovereigns were always hereditary military leaders.  Darius (king) built a magnificent capital at Persepolis, and joined his new city to many parts of the ancient world by an intricate system of roads that carried his armies all over and allowed people form many lands to pay tribute to him.  “My slaves”  “The Great King, King of Kings, King in Persia, King of countries,”  Authority  strong military as well as Zoroastrianism.

10. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power  The Importance of Shiism  There were many invasions, including the Arabs, who brought Islam to the area.  Islam held Persians together  Despite changes in political leadership over the years, Islam has continued to be a vital source of identity for the Iranians.

11. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power  The Importance of Shiism  Shiism was established the state religion in the 16 th century by Ismail.  Sunni and Shiite Muslims have quarreled for centuries.  Shiites are the minority.  Their heirs are called imams.  Ismail made Iran different form all the Sunni states round him – a characteristics that still exists today.  He gave political legitimacy to the belief that the Hidden Imam would eventually return, but until then, the rulers of Iran stood in his place as the true heirs.

12. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power  Legitimacy in the Modern State  Historical influences still shape the modern state.  Authoritarian leaders played an important role in the 20 th century as the Pahlavi shahs (1925-1979)  The Pahlavi shahs’ attempts to secularize the state were undone by the Ayatollah Khomeini  “Leader of the Revolution, Founder of the Islamic Republic, Guide of the Oppressed Masses, Commander of the Armed Forces, and Imam of the Muslim World”

13. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power  Legitimacy in the Modern State  The Ayatollah Khomeini led the Revolution of 1979  Transformed the legitimacy of the state, anchoring it once again in the principles of Shiism  The Constitution of 1979 and the amendments of ‘89.  Complex mixture of theocracy and democracy.  The Preamble emphasizes the importance of Religion  2 conflicting ideas – Sovereignty of the people and divinely inspired clerical rule – have created a crisis or legitimacy in Iran.  However, the rift in the two forces (conservatives and reformers) has illustrated the issue of just how a theocracy can also function as a democracy.

14. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power  Political Culture (is characterized by)  Authoritarianism, but not totalitarianism  Union of political and religious authority  Shiism and Sharia as central components  Escape from European colonization  Geographic limitations  The Influence of Ancient Persia  Strong Sense of Iranian Nationalism.

15. Political and Economic Change  Over Iran’s history there have been many changes politically and economically due to evolution and revolution.  Politically  It was the first large empire in the world history, military powerhouse with strong leaders, centralized governing structures  There was a decline in centralization before the 20 th century causing a gradual separation of religion from politics  Reunified religion and politics after 2 revolutions in the 20 th cent.  Economically  Natural resources – lack of arable land, emphasized trade by land. Greatest resource is OIL.  Oil has created problems – managing the commodity for industrialization in a way to benefit the state and the people.

16. Citizens, Society, and the State  Little experience w/democracy, but understand the importance of civil society.  Pahlavi shahs were the first rulers to reach citizens in every day life.  The Constitution of 1906 created an elected legislature (Majles)

17. Citizens, Society, and the State  Cleavages  Religion  Ethnicity  Social Class  Reformers v. Conservatives  Pragmatic Conservatives v. Radical Clerics

18. Cleavages  Religion  Almost 90% Shia Muslims  10% Sunni  1% Other (Jews, Christians, Zoroastrian, Baha’i)  Many religious minorities have still left the country since the founding of the Republic in 1979  The Baha’i faith has been a particular object of religious persecution.  Leaders have been executed, imprisoned, and tortured  Schools have closed  Community property taken by the state  The Constitution doesn’t mention Sunnis… So their rights are unclear…

19. Cleavages  Ethnicity  51% Persian, speaking Persian (Farsi) as their 1 st language  24% are Azeri  8% are Gilaki and Mazandarani  7% are Kurds  2% are Arabi

20. Cleavages

21.  Ethnicity  Azeris  Live in the NW near former Soviet republic, Azerbaijan  Iranian govt worries that the Azeris will want to form a larger state by takign territory away from Iran.  They do not speak Persian/Farsi.  Shiite, supreme leader that followed Khomeini in 1989 – Ali Khameini – is Azeri  Kurds and Arabs, tend to be Sunni

22. Cleavages  Social Class  The peasantry and lower middle class have benefited form the government’s social programs (provided them with electricity and paved roads)  SUPPORT the regime!  Middle, Upper Middle class people are secular  Highly critical of clerics and their control of society.  Middle class has not fared well in the years since the Republic was founded.  RESULT  Cultural and political views of secularism are reinforced by their economic problems  DISCONTENT and OPPOSTION to the regime.

23. Cleavages  Reformers v. Conservatives  Conservatives  want to keep the regime as it is, under the control of clerics and sharia law.  Reformers  want to see more secularization and democracy  Do not want to do away with the basic principles of an Islamic state  Want democracy to be infused into the system.

24. Cleavages  Pragmatic Conservatives  Clergy that favor liberal economic policies that encourage foreign trade, free markets, and direct foreign investment.  Base their view points on strong ties to middle-class merchants (bazaaris) and rural landowners who have long supported mosques and religious activities.  Private property and economic inequality are protected under Islamic law.  Radical Clerics  Numerous among younger and more militant clerics.  Call for measures to enhance social justice, especially in terms of providing welfare benefits to Iran’s poor.  Generally endorse state- sponsored wealth redistribution and price controls.

25. Citizens, Society, and the State  Civil Society  During Pahlavi shahs a major source of unhappiness was the governments incursion into the private lives of citizens.  Civil Society has not been restored under the current regime (creating discontent, especially among middle-class people).  Shiite revolutionary elites launched a campaign where they sought to impose values of the Islamic state on the general population.

26. Citizens, Society, and the State  Civil Society  Muhammad Khatami (1997-2005)  Tehran Spring  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005-)  Limited the reforms, closed down newspapers, banned and censored books and websites, no longer tolerates the peaceful demonstrations and protests of the Khatami era. Prominent scholars have been arrested (Haleh Esfandiari)  One indication that civil society is alive in Iran  growing number of young who are attracted to western culture. Khatami tolerated this, under Ahmadinejad there has been a crackdown

27. Citizens, Society, and the State  Political Participation  Guarantees for civil liberties and rights were written into the 1979 Constitution  However, the Islamic Republic of Iran….  Closed down newspapers, labor unions, private organizations, political parties  Due process principles were ignored as many were imprisoned without trials  Political reformers were executed and others fled the country  The regime also banned demonstrations and public meetings.

28. Citizens, Society, and the State  Protests and Demonstrations  The Republics’ actions against demonstrations have not stopped them.  1999 the government shut down a reformist news papers – demonstrations on college campuses across the country.  2002 – demonstrations on campuses in response to the death sentence ruling of a reformist academic.  2003 – student demonstrations turned into mass protests over the privatization of the university system. 1000s arrested in just 4 days of protests.  Factory workers also participate in anti-govt rallies (unemployment rates, low wages, unsatisfactory labor laws.  2007  security forces attacked striking bus drivers in Tehran and arrested 100s of them.  Policed beat 100s of men and women who assembled to commemorate International Women’s Day

29. Citizens, Society, and the State  Protests  2009 Presidential election sparked demonstrations when election results were announced – crying fraud (Amadinejad – 63% and Mir-Hossein Mousavi – 34%). BIGGEST popular upheaval since the 1979 revolution.  The government sent 10,000s of Revolutionary Guards and voluntary militiamen (Basij) to dispense the crowds.  VIOLENCE.

30. Citizens, Society, and the State  Women and the Political System  To westerners, the veil is a symbol of oppression, but this predates to the birth of Islam  Traditionally women in Islamic cultures have stayed home, little educaiton/opportunity to work outside the home  but in Iran, women have had better access to education.  Educated women harbor particular resentmetns toward the regime – expections of better job opportunities and more political rights than they have been granted.  Judges interpret Sharia narrowly, so that women are considered to be wards of their male relatives.

31. Citizens, Society, and the State  Women and the Political System  Equality-with-difference  divorce and custody laws now follow Islamic standards that favor males.  Women must wear scarves and long coats in public.  Women can’t leave the country w/out the consent of male relatives.  Recent ban on stoning women for adultery  Women are allowed education and entrance to some occupations.  Women are 33% of the labor force.  Not well represented in the Majles

32. Linkage Institutions  Political Parties  Constitution allows for political parties  First time they had parties was with Muhammad Khatami’s election (1997).  Parties are organized around personalities, not issues  Parties are unstable, and likely to change  Reformist or Conservative

33. Linkage Institutions  Political Parties (2009)  The Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran (Abadgaran)  Conservative, supported Ahmadinejad  Do well in elections  The Iranian Reform Movement (Reformers front)  Iranian Militant Clerics Society and Islamic Iran Participation Front  Alliance called the Khordad Front in Pres election of 2000 (winning reelection for Khatami)  Later, the Guardian council banned them from the Majles election of 2004  2009 Candidate – Hossein Mousavi (Khatami’s PM)  Etemad-e Melli Parti  Formed after the ‘05 election by Mehdi Karroubi (moderate/pragmatic refomist)  Rural base for support  Many reformist parties have been banned (Liberation Movement Mojahedin, Fedayin, Tudeh)

34. Linkage Institutions  Political Parties  Factionalism: splintering of the political elites based not just on points of view, but also on personalities.  Parties are fluid, weak  not a good vehicle for policymaking… So they tend to emerge with elections, then break apart if candidates are chosen. Defeated factions stay together in hopes of reversing the outcome in future elections.

35. Linkage Institutions  Elections  18 years old can vote  The Guardian Council banns thousands of candidates from running (mostly from reformist parties)  Elections to the Majles and the presidency are conducting according to plurality (winner-take-all)  There are 2 rounds – so that in the second round one of the two contenders will have a majority of the vote.

36. Linkage Institutions  Interest Groups  Hard to draw the line between parties and interest groups.  Examples of Interest groups (registered with the govt): Islamic Association of Women, Green Coalition  Workers’ House (interest group for factory workers) operates with the help of its affiliated newspaper Kar va Kargar (Work and Worker – their political party – Islamic Labor Party – backed Khatami in 2000, banned in ‘04 and ‘05.  Few interest groups have formed for business because private businesses have been crowed out since the Rev of 1979

37. Linkage Institutions  Mass Media  1981- Majles passed a law making it a criminal offense to use “pen and speech” against the govt. (recently some restrictions have been lifted)  Radio and TV are govt run by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) while newspapers and magazines are privately owned (most are nonpolitical).  Compared to other regimes in the region, the Iranian press has more freedom to criticize the govt.  Country’s two leading newspapers are govt run and director is appointed by the Supreme Leader.

38. Public Policy  Policymaking Factions  Conservative v. Reformists  Theocracy and Democracy  Conservatives  Principles of the Regime, strict Sharia Law  Reformists  Need significant reform, though they disagree on the reforms they should be.  Statists v. Free-marketers  Statists  government should take an active role in controlling the economy (Redistributing land and wealth, eliminating unemployment, financing social welfare programs, placing price ceilings and price floors.  Free-Marketers  remove price controls, lower business taxes, encourage private enterprise, balance the budget

39. Public Policy  The Importance of Qom  The legitimacy of the modern Iranian theocracy has its roots in Qom, a desert city about 60 miles south of Tehran.  The Ayatollah Khomeini began to denounce the shah from Qom, and it was there that he set up his govt after returning from exile in France.  City of seminaries, scholars  Jurist Guardianship was established here.  The presidential candidates who challenged the 2009 election results appealed directly to the scholars of Qom without challenging jurist guardianship as a doctrine.

40. Public Policy  Population Policy  Initiative to bring down the birth rate  Population surge after Rev of 1979 (encouraged to have large families) (More young people, pressure on schools, and eventually on the workforce)  1980s govt began discouraging large families (at the same time greater education and professional opportunities opened to women, so fertility rate declined.