Factors Affecting Irans Economy

International Journal of New Political Economy

, father and son, ruled Iran between (1926-1979). During their reign Iran saw all seasons, including modernisation, dictatorship, arbitrary rule, chaos, foreign invasion and revolution. It was also a period in which the Pahlavis' nationalist ideology clashed with democratic ideals, communist aspirations and-ultimately-Islamist beliefs. This article is an investigation in this regard.

REGARDLESS OF THE CHANGES in politics and ideology brought about by each successive regime in Iran, the one constant has been lack of fundamental economic change for the majority of Iran's people. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has repudiated the Western-style modernization initiated by Reza Shah Pahlavi and continued by his son, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. The postrevolutionary government of Ayatollah Sayyid Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini condemned the Pahlavi policy of allowing all countries to invest in, and trade freely with, Iran as unsatisfactory on political and cultural grounds and initiated a program of "self-reliance." Moreover, the modern production techniques introduced by the Pahlavis had eventually proved inappropriate for Iran because they required large capital investments. Having rejected Western models as inimical to the needs of Iran and being obliged to manage a wartime economy, the post-revolutionary government cut imports of luxury goods, began rationing subsistence items, nationalized industries, and expanded direct taxation. By late 1987, the result was a shortage of many goods that had once been imported, an insufficiently productive agricultural system, high unemployment, and a greater dependence than ever on revenues from oil and gas exports.

Men of Order, 2003

Reza Khan's 1921 coup quickly ended twelve years of chaos after the Constitutional Revolution, and within a few years earned him some legitimacy among the educated young and modern middle class which led to the Foundation of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1926, Within a few years, however his dictatorship turned int the age-old arbitrary despotism such that when he abdicated in 1941 he had hardly any friend left in the country Society versus the state Before the Constitutional Revolution, Iran had been run by arbitrary despotism. This was not just another variant of absolute or despotic government, as it is known from European history. First, arbitrary despotism had been the normal (and was seen as the natural and inviolable) form of government in Iran throughout her history, whereas absolutism reigned for a maximum of four

International Journal of Middle East Studies, 1992

THE IRANIAN CONTEXT FOR REZA'S RISE Events during the years of Reza's rise, 1921-26, were crucial to Iran's survival as an independent state. Before the 1921 coup, the situation in Iran was chaotic. Central government authority had been weak throughout the Qajar period (1796-1925). After the 1896 assassination of Nasir aI-Din Shah, Tehran seemedincapa-bIe of defending Iran against Russia and Britain or even of maintaining order. Its only modern forces were a Russian-officered Cossack brigade, established in 1879, and a Swedish-officered gendarmerie, established in 1911. A long-standing civil-clerical rivalry added to the chaos. From the time the Safavids established Twelver Shicism as Iran's state religion in the 16th century, the public tended to identify Iran with ShiCite Islam. Some ulema saw secular power as usurpation of the Hidden Imam's authority. During Qajar times the ulema put themselves forward as protectors against secular tyranny. During the Iranian revolutionary movement (the Tobacco Protest [1891-92] and the constitutional period [1905"":11]), clergy also expressed hostility toward foreign influence, which seemed to be destroying Iran's independence and destabilizing the country, and mobilized mass support for national ideas. Nasir aI-Din Shah withdrew the British tobacco monopoly and Muzaffar aI-Din Shah accepted a constitution largely because the government could not resist clerically supported urban demonstrations. 2 The presence of strong foreign powers contributed to instability. During the Constitutional Revolution, Iranian efforts to break Anglo-Russian control by establishing parliamentary government and pursuing a "third-power" policy failed, in part because proconstitutional forces in the new Majlis split between liberal, democrats and more traditional moderates. Furthermore, central authority declined after democratic and tribal forces deposed Muhammad Ali Shah in 1909. Britain and Russia crushed Iran by the end of 1911 when they forced Morgan Shuster, an American hired by the Majlis as treasurer general, out of office and suppressed the assembly. Attempts to oppose Anglo-Russian domination by tilting toward Germany and Turkey during World War I transformed Iran into a battlefield. Overrun during and immediately after the war by Russian, Ottoman, German, and British forces, about a quarter of the Iranian popUlation died. After the collapse of Russia, Turkey, and Germany, British forces occupied much of Iran. England dominated Tehran's governments, subsidizing the shah, the cabinet, and the military. Consequently, Tabriz, Rasht, and Mashhad resisted Tehran's orders, and the tribes (about one-quarter of the population) ignored central authority.3 Iranian leaders responded to their country's situation in four ways, with a pro-British policy, a pro-Russian policy, a third-power policy, and with isolation.

Economic Annals-ХХI

Glob J Arch & Anthropol, 2019

The close relationship between economy and politics in the world, especially in the underdeveloped or developing countries, is the radical factor in their laggardness. And, Iran is to not only be included in this circle but it also is amongst the countries wherein the political economy as the output of the economic and political strategies in the country is the most major factor giving rise to its laggardness. The decision-making elements have been classified in the areas of economy and politics in various levels. The most important of these areas is the decisions made by Iran's supreme leader in the area of domestic and foreign policies and confrontation with the economic corruption and not having a clear-cut economic policy. Due to its subtle association with economy and politics and close relationship with other factors marking development in culture, social welfare, job security, minorities' security, gross domestic growth, the association between the nation and state and nation's attachment to the political structure has been acting quite unsuccessfully as caused by governance mechanisms. The investigation of the existing statistical indices in this regard in Iran's Statistics Website and succinct investigation of the corruptions in the files existent in the un-independent judicature branch and evident familial associations in the apex of the country's affairs, the investigation of the files on addiction, prostitution and tens of other cases all of which stemmed from Shiite-driven policies in the world and not related to the governing of the country causing the it to lag behind in development make it clear that the delinquency density and even faith and ethical infrastructures have been dragged towards very unfavorable indices. The main question is that how has politics influenced Iran's economy after the Islamic Revolution? Hypotheses: 1) the antagonistic spirits in Iran's leadership cadre has caused it economic challenges with the world; 2) delegation of many authorities in the constitution to the leader has created a body of unaccountable power; 3) the absence of separate branches and lack of supervision by Guardians Council on all the decisions and options have caused the creation of a defective support cycle. The present study tries finding an answer to the main question and proving the hypotheses based on sufficient reasons.

2018

The occurrence of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, caused the fundamental changes in the structure of the political system of the country. The Islamic republic with its particular features was replaced to the political system of the monarchy for the first time. This process has had the profound impacts on the political, social, economic and cultural relations. Over the past four decades, the Islamic Republic has also gone through the various periods of time, and it is changed from a newly established system, to an experienced system with more political maturity. In the first part of this article, we will examine the features and characteristics of the government arising from the Islamic Revolution, and examine the differences and similarities with the previous governments. In the second part, we will examine the evolution of this government from 1978 to 2005 and examine the impact of these developments on the way in which the government exercises its power.