Building an Islamic state
The Iranian Revolution and its aftermath
Muslim clergy and soldiers clasp hands in friendship atop an armored personnel carrier. Printed in Time magazine, January 29, 1979From: http://www.iranian.com
A cartoon believed to have been published around January, 1980, depicting post-revolution chaos. The artist is unknown. Posted on the Iranian newsgroup soc.culture.iranian
This and the map on the following slide from the Univ. of Texas map collection, http://www.lib.utexas.edu
Iran Prior to Revolution: A very hasty comparative overview
Pre-20th century state: Safavid and Qajar empires Qajar rule: decentralized,
diffuse
Imperialism/Colonialism British and Russian spheres of
influence
Early authoritarian state-building Pahlavi rule, 1926-1979
Reza Shah, 1926-1941 Muhammad Reza Shah, 1941-
1979
A wall in Tehran, 1978 : "Kings are the disgrace of history; you are the most disgraceful king. Death to Imperialism." From: http://www.iranian.com/
State-building under Reza Shah: brief notes
Secularism New civil code (1928) Secular judicial system
Centralization Creation of police force, civil
serviceCosmetic “westernization” Hat law (1935) Veil banned (1936)
Nationalism From “Persia” to “Iran” New state school curricula
Turkey & Iran compared: the early period
Institutions of government Occupation
State consolidation: Muhammad Reza Shah
Entrenching the monarchy 1953 coup against Mosaddeq Creation of internal security
organization, SAVAK Tight political control US aid & oil revenue patronage
The “White Revolution” Large-scale industrial
development, literacy, education, land reform
After 1975, one-party state Harsh police rule, systematic
torture Forced “westernization” Devaluation of the Ulama & Islam
1979 Iranian Revolution: Why
Rising popular opposition Authoritarianism Economic woes
Urban middle class suffering
Shah’s reliance on foreign experts
Cracks in the regime US & NGO pressure Moderate reforms
Crises Economic recession protest & suppression
“The Shah had a lot of sympathy for the poor.” Cartoon by Iraj Zare; re-printed in Hassan Javadi's Satire in Persian Literature.
Left, Muhammad Reza Shah in London, as covered by a Belgian tabloid. Right, Muhammad Reza with his son. Photos: http://www.iranian.com
1979 Iranian Revolution: Three visions, and then two (and then one)
Representatives of three different and conflicting visions of the new Iran. Left, secular reformer Bani-Sadr; middle, constitutional liberal Mehdi Bazargan, who originally proposed retaining the Shah under a constitutional monarchy, and later, the first prime minister of the new Iranian republic; and right, Ayatollah Khomeini. Photo courtesy of Nikki Keddie, from Bill Cleveland, A History of the Modern Middle East, p. 424.
After the Shah: competing visions
1st (early Revolution) Vision Moderate Constitutional Monarchy (Mehdi Bazargan, the Freedom Movement & Ali Shari’ati)2nd Vision
Secular Republic -- respecting but not controlled by Shi’ism3rd Vision: Theocracy-government of Ulama
Iranian Revolution: Who
Bazaari merchants
Moderate, politicized UlamaRadical Ulama
A. Khomeini
Secular Urban IntellectualsSecular students
Theological students
Urban workers
Oil workers on strike, 1978.
Photos of the Ayatolloh Khomeini, from http://www.imam-khomeini.com
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, 1902-1989
• Exiled, 1962-1978
• Velayet-e Faqih (Guardianship of the jurisprudent)
Ayatollah Khomeini in the Paris suburb of Neauphle le Chateau, late 1978. Photo by Hatami
"Anti-government demonstrators in Tehran set fire to portraits of the Shah and his family." From the November 20, 1978, issue of Time magazine
1979 Iranian Revolution: How
Early days of protest & suppression pamphlets,cassettes demonstrations Violent suppression & continued
resistance
Growing confrontation Sept 8 1978 “Black Friday” in Tehran:
wave of protests and violent suppression Strikes, paralysis of Iranian economy,
huge demonstrations, defections in the army
Jan. 1979 M. Reza Shah flees the country Feb. 1: A. Khomeini returns to Iran
Main headline: "2,500-year-old despotic monarchy collapses. Cities liberated by the revolutionary army." Kayhan newspaper, February 11, 1979
The chaos after the revolution: the first new Islamic-Iranian state
Presidency &Prime Ministry
Council of Guardians•Issued laws, decrees, •veto power over PM
Localcommittees
RevolutionaryGuards
RevolutionaryTribunals
KhomeiniMonarchy replaced by new Islamic republic (March 1979):
But what was an “Islamic Republic?”
ArmedForces
Who exactly should rule, and how??
Various political parties
Newsweek, February 26, 1979
Foreign crises
* US hostage crisis, Nov. 1979
* Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1989: about 200,000 Iranians die
Internal resistance & purges
Former SAVAK chief and three colleagues lie dead after their execution.
Photos: http://www.iranian.com
1981-82: Resistance and Suppression: 10,000 Iranians die
After the Revolution (or, the 2nd revolution):
The second Islamic-Iranian state
Structure of Government*
* The Iranian Constitution was first passed in 1979 and revised in 1989. In addition, some of the government institutions presented here were created after 1982. This slide presents the current (2004) structure of the government. This chart was in part modeled on one created by the BBC.
Parliament(Majlis)
• Elected every 4 years• 293 members
Electorate
President* 4-year terms (max. 2)
Cabinet
Assembly ofExperts
* 86 clerics
SupremeLeader (faqih)
Council of Guardians•12 members• Can veto Majlis legislation
Judiciary
Armed Forces
Expediency Council(mediates disputes between Majlis & Guardian Council)
The New TheocracyFurther changes & later reforms
Economy: state control, privatization Expansion of public sector (later unsuccessful attempts to contract
this) Creation of foundations to oversee former regime’s property Nationalization of industries, banks, businesses
Forced departure of foreign companies (1979) Rationing, subsidies, price controls, redistribution of property 1988 and after: liberalization package
new privatization, reduction of govt subsidies, promotion of exports But oil still provides 40-50% of government income
New legal code Sharia legal codes Polygamy, free male divorce, child custody to fathers in initial
post-Revolution phase; increasingly challenged in 1980s
Social reforms (and re-reforms)
Cultural revolution, 1983-83 University purges New dress codes Gender segregation Outlawing of music and liquor Religious education in schools
Other Social reforms “Reconstruction Jihad”: Improved rural conditions Improved education and public health
Initial discouragement of women’s education soon changed Rise in female literacy: 36% in 1976; 72% in 1996 Grassroots primary health care Better family planning: drastic reduction in birthrate after 1988
Photo: BBC
