1. Iranian Politics in Transition *Section 5*

2. Political Challenges and Changing Agendas

3. Internal and External Challenges – Internal: Synthesizing theocracy / Democracy & clerical authority w/ mass participation Conservatives lost support from general public despite control of the Majles (‘04) & presidency (‘05) Conservatives lost the presidency in 2013 and strict control of the Majles in 2016, BUT... Cultural Revolution helped bring in key concepts – Political pluralism - other ideologies are okay – Mass participation – Civil society - people can be involved in politics if they want to – Human rights – Individual liberties

4. Internal Challenges (cont.) Conservatives broadening their political perspectives ” The general public involved in nongovernmental organizations – Shirin Ebadi – Head of a Human Rights Group, Activist that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. Thought that if completely excluded from politics, reform would not be possible, and everything must be changed either constitutionally or in non-peaceful terms.

5. Internal and External Challenges (cont.) – External: Being the “Axis of Evil” Bush Administration names Iran a member of the “Axis of Evil” that they need “regime change” » Put pressure on Iran that had already existed from economics sanctions, lack of diplomatic relations, and successful barring of Iran from WTO – US accused Iran of sabotaging peace processes and starting nuclear weapons programs

6. External Challenges (cont.) – External programs greatly increased once US occupied Iraq and Afghanistan – Iran uses external pressures to promote patriotism (ex: Ahmadinejad told Iranians they needed to unite under him to save face because the US tarnished it w/ the Axis of Evil speech)

7. Iranian Politics in Comparative Perspective

8. Differences between Iran and other Third World states Iran = an old state w/ institutions established during ancient times Iran was never formally colonized by European imperial powers Shi’ism and national identity link the population w/ its govt Iranian citizenry (mostly college students, NOT the military) actively intervened in politics – Constitutional revolution (1905) – Islamic revolution (1979) Potential for rapid economic growth – Oil resources

9. Similarities between Iran and other Third World states Failed to develop a full-fledged democracy Collective identity strained by internal conflicts – Class, ethnicity, gender, interclerical political conflicts Economy remains underdeveloped – Unable to meet rising expectations – Highly dependent on one commodity

10. Iran Today Democracy has been constricted by Theocracy, so Iran remains on global sidelines – Islam’s many interpretations either support or oppose the democratic idea Failure/challenge of democracy is not because of Islam itself – Crises between 1979 and 1981 allowed particular group of clerics to seize power – Poor administration skills

11. Iran Today Politics remains divided over how to manage economy – Rising demands, fluctuating petroleum revenues, possibility that oil wells will run dry Repaired bridges with Arab states and Europe Most clerics want to take the capitalist road (privatized industries, foreign direct investment, etc) Others want the statist road (national self-reliance, high taxes, price controls, govt. industries) Khatami combined elements of state intervention w/ free enterprise (basically chose social democracy) Ahmadinejad favors a state-controlled economy that will implement radical populist programs

12. Iran & the US The relationship between Iran and the U.S. remains tenuous