social class

(1)

IRAN

(2)

cleavages



religion

– 90% Shi’a Muslim90% Shi’a Muslim

– constitution protects religious minorities, but inhospitable constitution protects religious minorities, but inhospitable since founding of Republic

since founding of Republic



ethnicity

–

51% Persian51% Persian

– religious cleavage sometimes reinforced by ethnicityreligious cleavage sometimes reinforced by ethnicity 

social class

– peasants/lower middle class traditional base of support peasants/lower middle class traditional base of support for the regime; middle and upper classes largely

for the regime; middle and upper classes largely

secularized



gender

(3)

cleavages, cont



reformers vs. conservatives

– fundamental cleavage: theocracy vs. democracyfundamental cleavage: theocracy vs. democracy

– conservatives: maintain clerical control and sharia lawconservatives: maintain clerical control and sharia law – reformers: increase secularization and democracyreformers: increase secularization and democracy



clerics: pragmatic, conservatives, radical

– pragmatics: favor liberal economic policies, encourage pragmatics: favor liberal economic policies, encourage foreign trade, free markets, direct foreign investment foreign trade, free markets, direct foreign investment – conservatives: private property/economic inequality conservatives: private property/economic inequality

protected under Islamic law protected under Islamic law

(4)



cleavages, cont,



peasantry and urban lower-middle class

– strong base of religious orthodoxystrong base of religious orthodoxy

– beneficiaries of revolutionary organizations and state beneficiaries of revolutionary organizations and state bureaucracy

bureaucracy



resistance to authoritarian clerical rule most

evident among predominantly secular middle

class

– culturally westernized –culturally westernized –

– strongest source of opposition to the regimestrongest source of opposition to the regime



campaign to define Iran as a Persian nation

(ethno-linguistic) alienates Turks, Kurds, and

other ethnic minorities

(5)

government institutions



a highly centralized unitary state, but divided

administratively into provinces, districts, and

localities



a complex structure with a over-riding goal: to

blend theocratic and democratic ideals



Jurist’s Guardianship

–

Supreme LeaderSupreme Leader

– the Guardia Councilthe Guardia Council

– the Assembly of Religious Expertsthe Assembly of Religious Experts

– the Expediency Councilthe Expediency Council

 not divided – all have broad executive, legislative and not divided – all have broad executive, legislative and adjudicative powers, and can supersede other positions adjudicative powers, and can supersede other positions and bodies

(6)



Constitution of 1979: a

dual executive

– the Supreme

Leader and the President



the Supreme Leader

– the imam of the entire community – country’s most powerful the imam of the entire community – country’s most powerful political figure

political figure

– many constitutional powers:many constitutional powers:

 faqih: faqih: the leading Islamic jurist to interpret religious the leading Islamic jurist to interpret religious texts and

texts and shariasharia law law

 links 3 branches of government together, may mediate _{links 3 branches of government together, may mediate}

among them

 charged with ‘determining the interests of Islam’_{charged with ‘determining the interests of Islam’}

–

can eliminate presidential candidates, dismiss the president, can eliminate presidential candidates, dismiss the president, command the armed forces, declare war/peace,

command the armed forces, declare war/peace,

appoint/remove major administrators and judges, nominate

6 members of Guardian Council

(7)



The Guardian Council

– 12 male clerics, 6 appointed by Supreme Leader, 6 12 male clerics, 6 appointed by Supreme Leader, 6 approved by

approved by MajlesMajles

– bills passed by the bills passed by the MajlesMajles reviewed by Guardian Council reviewed by Guardian Council to ensure compliance with

to ensure compliance with shariasharia

– Council can decide who competes in electionsCouncil can decide who competes in elections



Assembly of Religious Experts

– expanded in 1989 to 86 members, directly elected expanded in 1989 to 86 members, directly elected every 4 years

every 4 years

– exercises broad constitutional interpretation, along with exercises broad constitutional interpretation, along with Supreme Leader and Guardian Council

Supreme Leader and Guardian Council



the Expediency Council

(8)



head of state (supreme leader) and head of

government (president)



The Executive

:

– Iran is notIran is not a presidential system a presidential system

– President is chief executive, highest state officer President is chief executive, highest state officer afterafter the Supreme Leader

the Supreme Leader

– Cabinet: conducts day-to-day governance, initiates Cabinet: conducts day-to-day governance, initiates most laws

most laws



The Bureaucracy

:

– huge, dominated by clergyhuge, dominated by clergy

– bloated, plagued by clientelism, corruption, bloated, plagued by clientelism, corruption, mismanagement, patronage

(9)



The Legislature (the Majles)

:

– unicameral, 290 seats, directly elected by the peopleunicameral, 290 seats, directly elected by the people – 290 seats, elected by single member districts, wide 290 seats, elected by single member districts, wide

suffrage

suffrage

– Control of the Majles shifts from reformers to Control of the Majles shifts from reformers to conservatives

conservatives



The Judicidary

:

– headed by chief justice -a cleric, who needs headed by chief justice -a cleric, who needs understanding of

understanding of shariasharia law – appointed by the Supreme law – appointed by the Supreme Leader

Leader

– (1) distinction between (1) distinction between shariasharia (Islamic canonical (Islamic canonical law)and

law)and qanun qanun (non-sacred legislative acts)(non-sacred legislative acts)

– (2) Supreme Leader, Guardian Council and Assembly of (2) Supreme Leader, Guardian Council and Assembly of Religious Experts have the final say in interpreting law

Religious Experts have the final say in interpreting law

– unofficial role of ‘watchdogs’unofficial role of ‘watchdogs’

(10)



the Military

:

– Revolutionary Guards: elite military force established by Revolutionary Guards: elite military force established by Khomeini, commanders appointed by Supreme Leader as Khomeini, commanders appointed by Supreme Leader as

parallel force

parallel force to protect the Republic from military to protect the Republic from military subterfuge

subterfuge

– the the BasijBasij: loosely-organized, militia-like part of the : loosely-organized, militia-like part of the Revolutionary Guards

Revolutionary Guards

– 88thth largest military in the world_{largest military in the world}

– advanced abilities and skillsadvanced abilities and skills

– Revolutionary Guard has become an important poltical Revolutionary Guard has become an important poltical and policymaking force

(11)

Theocratic and Democratic Elements in Iran’s Government Structure

Structure/

Position Theocratic Democratic

Supreme Leader ultimate interpreter of sharia ; appointed for life

Guardian Council six members appointed by

Supreme Leader six members selected by the Majles, indirect democratic tie

Assembly of

Experts interpreter of sharia directly elected by citizens Expediency

Council appointed by Supreme Leader; most members are clerics not all members are clerics Majles must not contradict sharia directly elected; pass

qanun Judiciary held to sharia law, subject to

judgment of Supreme Leader and Guardian Council

(12)



parties

:



while Iran is highly politicized, there are no

recognized, legitimate political parties



elections

:



highly institutionalized – almost one per year



competitive, high voter turnout,

but not

synonymous with democratic governance

– handpicked candidates, many disqualificationshandpicked candidates, many disqualifications



Semipublic institutions/foundations

:

– religious endowments: bonyadsreligious endowments: bonyads

– theoretically autonomous but directed by clerics appointed theoretically autonomous but directed by clerics appointed by the Supreme Leader

by the Supreme Leader

(13)

civil society



similar to Mao, Shi’ite revolutionary elites moved

to reinstall orthodoxy in public life



launched a Cultural Revolution

–

education system expected to impress the values of the education system expected to impress the values of the Islamic state

Islamic state

– universities cleared of ‘liberals’ universities cleared of ‘liberals’



despite ‘muscular’ state, civil society survives

– country is increasingly urbanized, educated and youngcountry is increasingly urbanized, educated and young – vibrant media – relative freedom to criticize vibrant media – relative freedom to criticize

government’s domestic and foreign policy government’s domestic and foreign policy

 this freedom is an outgrowth of factionalism among _{this freedom is an outgrowth of factionalism among} Iran’s ruling elite

(14)

political participation

 despite guarantees of civil liberties in 1979 constitution,

Iranian government has regularly

– suppressed newspapers, labor unions, private organizations, political parties

– exeuted political reformers or caused them to flee

– abanned demonstrations and public meetings

 despite prohibition, protests have also continued regularly  biggest popular upheaval since the Revolution of 1979:

post 2009 election of Ahmadinejad

– illustrated continuing capacity of Iranians to react strongly to repressive government

– calls for the election to be annulled

– dispersed with thousands of Revolutionary Guards and Basij

– disputed death toll

(15)

women in the political system



veil as symbol of oppression – more of a

problem for Westerners?



tradition of women in Islamic culture

staying home, little education



20

th

Iran an exception

and

a 2-edged

sword



“equality with a difference”