A Pitiful Attempt at Summary & Comparison

Review: Criteria for Comparison Geography Character of old regime Social scope of revolutions Degree of violence & coercion Private property Religion International & universal pretensions Role of constitutions Centralization & federalism

Geography The US: a colonial revolution Restricted to North America (Canada remains loyal) Doesn’t really affect the monarchy in Britain Westward expansion extends the revolution Russia: affects all of the Russian Empire Regime is overthrown, not just rejected from afar USSR reconstructs most of old Russian Empire Iran: revolution affects entire country Here, too: old regime is destroyed Borders remain the same (despite Iraqi attack)

Nature of Old Regime American colonies – a constitutional monarchy Monarchy limited by Parliament, laws & liberty This was basis for colonists to challenge British rule New notions popular sovereignty as result Russia & Iran = autocracies Both had constitutions by 1906, but not respected In fact: unlimited, self-derived power for Tsar & Shah Russia & Iran were both traditionalist & modernizing Both faced challenges of “autocratic modernization” Both regimes replaced by something very different But authoritarianism remains strong for both

Social Scope of Revolutions American revolution was not a social revolution But: ties of dependence & patronage were broken Am Rev = radical in 18th-century way Russian revolution = full-scale social revolution Liquidation & repression of bourgeoisie Idea of the “Dictatorship of the Proletariat” Social order fundamentally transformed by 1930s Iran – more ambiguous Many of wealthy westernized elite = forced to flee But social landscape not radically transformed

Degree of violence US – revolution itself = not so violent But lengthy war (1775-83) to secure independence Russia & Iran – extensive violence & coercion Coercive repression of opposition in both cases Civil war in both cases Russia: Reds vs. Whites (1918-21) Iran – Left vs. Islamists (1979-81) Wars with neighboring states (Poland & Iraq) Violence = central to consolidation of regime Ultimately: more violence & coercion in Russia No Iranian equivalent of Stalinist terror

Revolutions & Private Property Defense of property = important for Am Rev “Pursuit of happiness” (not property), but still… No taxation without representation Russian Rev = directed against private property Socialism as absence / elimination of private property Expropriation of bourgeoisie (Const. 1918) Abolition of private land ownership (Const. 1918) Iran – more ambiguous Some Islamists influenced by Marxism But regime does not really attack private property

Attitudes towards Religion Am Rev – largely secular, but not hostile to religion Limitations on role of religion (esp. at federal level) But some notion of God is present Soviet Rev – absolutely hostile to religion Marx: religion = “opiate of the masses” Anti-religious campaigns, confiscation, etc. Iran – religion (Islam) is core of the revolution True: diverse ideological coalition topples Shah But all opposition recognizes Islam, supports Khomeini Islamists eventually prevail over secular Left

Int’l & Universal Pretensions US – idea that America will be model for others Universalistic language (“all men,” etc.) But no real effort to “export” revolution Russia – 1917 as beginning of world revolution Supposition is that revolution will spread Marxist conception of universal stages of history Comintern & war w/ Poland as attempts to “export” Iran – universal implications for Muslim world Const. refers to “a single world community” Iranian counterattack goes into Iraq in 1982

Role of Constitutions US – constitution is central Importance of law for British political culture Russia – instrumental view of law / constitutions Tsar grants FL only when compelled Soviet constitutions don’t regulate Com. Party Constitutions as ideological instruments Iran – similar to Russia Shah ignores 1906 constitution almost entirely Const. of IRI eclipsed by Khomeini’s charisma Greater concentration of power in Faqih

Centralization & Federalism US – separate colonies form the “united states” Weak confederation under the Articles (1781) Genuine federalism under Const. of 1787 Powers not given to fed gov’t are left to the states USSR – Pseudo-federalism Russian empire as centralized (autocracy) USSR: ethnically defined national republics (federation) Com. Party remains highly centralized (thus “pseudo”) Iran – resistance to federalism Regime under Shah was highly centralized (autocracy) Gov’t remains centralized under Khomeini (Kurds)