Transcript IranWeisheimer2014Part1

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
IRAN
BASIC FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
POWER STRUCTURE
POWER SOURCE
•Confederation
•Federation
•Unitary state
•Hegemony
•Empire
•Democracy: Direct democracy
•Representative democracy, Republic
•Constitutional Monarchy
•Monarchy/ Absolute Monarchy
•Oligarchy/ Aristocracy
•Military junta
•Plutocracy
•Authoritarianism/ Autocracy
•Despotism
Dictatorship
•Totalitarianism
• Others: Anarchy, Anocracy (Shared power among elites, Somalia war lords),
Kritarchy (Courts), Meritocracy, Theocracy
Iran Introduction
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Much of country not arable  skewed
demographic distribution
– world’s 17th largest population
– 70% of population lives in 30% of the land
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Much of Iran is rural and historically
nomadic/pastoral
89% Shi’ite Muslim
Strategic location in Persian Gulf
2nd largest exporter within OPEC, 4th largest
exporter in the world
Proven oil reserves: 10% of world’s total, plus
15% of world’s natural gas reserves
I. Comparative Concepts
II. Sovereignty, Authority, and
Power
Islamic Republic of Iran
 created by Revolution of 1979
 (1) first religious revolution in modern history
 (2) culminated in rapid downfall of a powerful,
long-standing autocratic regime
 (3) used religion as the primary agency of
political mobilization
 (4) establishment of a theocracy in late 20th
century, infused with strong democratic elements
 (5) inaugurated a wave of political activism in
the Muslim world
• Islamic Theocracies: Sharia is the official basis for
state laws in the following countries:
Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,
& Yemen.
• In Nigeria, the constitution provides that states
may elect to use Shari'a laws and courts
• Christian Theocracy: Vatican City
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Blending of theocratic and
democratic features in Iran’s
constitution
– split legitimacy
– recognizes principles of popular
sovereignty and separation of powers
– but, legitimacy also rests on conformity
to a revealed body of religious law
Legitimacy of Modern State
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Revolution of 1979
– Legitimacy attached to principles of
Shi’ism
– Constitution of 1979
 Amended in 1989
History: Significant dates
559 BC
The first world empire (Achemenian Empire) founded by
Cyrus the Great
570 - 632
life span of the Prophet Muhammad
637-651
Arab armies defeat Persia, introduce Islam
1501-1722
Safavid Empire founded, shi’ism established as Persia’s
state religion
1794-1925
Qajar dynasty replaced the Safavids, retained Shi’ism
1925-1979
The Pahlavi dynasty
World War I Iran occupied by Russian, British and German troops
1979
Shah’s regime falls, Khomeini declares Islamic Republic
1980-1988
war with Iraq
Shi’ism
from 7th to 16th centuries, region of Iran was
disunified and frequently invaded
 the glue that would eventually hold Persians
together was religion
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– survived subsequent invasions and changes in political
leaderhip
– vital source of identity for Iranians
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Shi’ism established as the state religion in the
16th century
division from Sunni Muslims:
– the prophet died without a designated heir
– Sunnis favored choosing the caliph from existing
leadership
– Shi’ias argued that only descendants of Ali should lead
Ali: the prophet’s son-in-law
• heirs of Ali – imams - continued to 9th
century, when the 12th descendant
disappeared as a child
• the “hidden imam”: will eventually return but
until then the rulers of Iran stood in his place
as the true heirs of Islam
• messianic belief: the hidden imam will return
and restore a just order –
• until return, the rulers of Iran stood in
imam’s place as the true heirs of Islam
• until then, all secular authority is ultimately
illegitimate
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messianic belief  challenge to legitimacy
of all secular authority
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shi’ite clerics: more independent, more
hostile to secular power
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secure income from voluntary religioius
taxes
Safavids (1501-1722)
characteristics:
– converted Iranians to Shi’ism
– ruled from inland Isfahan, relied on local
leaders
– claimed descent from 12 imams
 influences on modern political system:
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– 90% of modern Iranians are Shi’ite
– tradition of isolation
– foundations for a theocracy
Qajars (1794 – 1925)
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characteristics:
– Turkish invaders
– ruled from coastal Tehran
– retained Shi’ism
– domination by other countries
influences on modern political system:
– tradition of trade/contact
– foundations of secularism
– failures of regime led to Constitutional
Revolution of 1905  representative
government
Pahlavis (1925-1979)
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characteristics:
– overthrew representative government
– centralized power in shah
– increased reliance on oil income  creation of
rentier state
– contact with West, secularization
– corruption
influences on modern political system:
– reinforced authoritarian rule
– corruption
– increased secularization, followed by
reestablishment of theocracy
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Eventual democratic opposition to absolute rule of Reza
Shah: Muhammad Mosaddeq
– NATIONAL FRONT: supported by middle class
people
 who emphasized Iranian nationalism,
 advocated nationalizing British-owned
companies that monopolized oil
 take military out from under control of shah
– Mosaddeq elected Prime Minister in 1951,
forced shah to flee the country in 1953
– Great Britain and US co-sponsored move to
overthrow Mosaddeq and restore shah to
power
The Islamic Revolution and the Republic (1979 – Present)
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Contrast from other modern revolutions (Russia,
China, Mexico): in Iran, almost completely based
on religion
the shah divided political culture, and a clerical
elite rose up, led a revolution, and took over the
government
charismatic leader: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
(1): defended fundamentalism
(2): articulated resentment against elites and the
West
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2 factors sparked the revolution:
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(1) late 1970s, decrease in oil prices combined
with increase in consumer prices
– “revolution of rising expectations”
(2) under pressure from USA, shah loosened
restraints on opposition
– unleashed support for revolution from diverse
groups
shah fled the country
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April, 1979: referendum officially ended the
monarchy and established the Islamic Republic of
Iran
Assembly of Religious Experts wrote constitution
– gave broad authority to Ayatollah and clergy
clergy launched a Cultural Revolution
– purify Iran from the shah’s rule and from
secular values and behavior, especially
Western-inspired
– government suppressed all opposition
The Iran hostage crisis
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Referred to in Farsi as the "Conquest of the American
Spy Den"
52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days
(November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981), after a group
of Iranian students supporting the Iranian
Revolution took over the US Embassy in Tehran
In Iran, the hostage taking was widely seen as a blow
against the US and its influence in Iran, its perceived
attempts to undermine the Iranian Revolution, and its
longstanding support of the recently overthrown Shah
of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Following his overthrow, the Shah was allowed into
the U.S. for medical treatment.
The Iranians wanted the US to return the Shah to them
for trial of the crimes committed by him during his
reign on ordinary citizens with the help of his secret
police, the SAVAK
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In Iran the asylum granted by the U.S. to the Shah was seen as
American complicity in the atrocities meted by the Shah on the
Iranian people.
In the US, the hostage-taking was seen as an outrage violating
the principle of international law granting diplomats immunity
from arrest and diplomatic compounds' inviolability.
US military attempted a rescue operation on April 24,
1980, Operation Eagle Claw resulted in a failed mission, the
deaths of 8 American servicemen, 1 Iranian civilian, and the
destruction of 2 aircraft.
On July 27, 1980, the former Shah died; then Iraq invaded Iran.
– -These two events led the Iranian government to enter
negotiations and the hostages were formally released just
minutes after President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office.
The crisis strengthened the prestige of the Ayatollah
Khomeini and the political power of those who supported
theocracy and opposed any normalization of relations with the
West.
Happy Death to America Day!!!
(November 4) US is the Great Satan
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1989 - present
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Consolidation of clerical power under Khomeini
aided by popular support:
– oil prices rebounded
– Iraq war
– personal charisma of Ayatollah
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Ali Khamenei lacks personality and credentials of
Khomeni
– greater questioning of authoritarian clerical rule
– Iraq was ended in 1988, world oil prices fell again in
1990s
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ongoing conflict between theocratic and
democratic values
History of Iran & USA in 10 min,
Every American must watch this!!
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