1. A brief overview of the Iranian Revolution
Politics in Iran
A brief overview of the Iranian Revolution

3. Iran Basics Population Language(s) Religion: Shi’ism
Persian, Azeri (Turkic), Kurdish, etc
Language(s)
Persian, etc
Religion: Shi’ism

4. This and the map on the following slide from the Univ
This and the map on the following slide from the Univ. of Texas map collection,

5. Iran prior to Revolution
Authoritarian monarchy
Harsh police rule, systematic torture
Forced “westernization”
Devaluation of the Ulama & Islam
US aid & oil revenue
patronage
The “White Revolution”
Large-scale industrial development, literacy, education, land reform
Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi

6. 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.

7. Iranian Revolution: Who
A. Khomeini
Moderate, politicized Ulama
Radical Ulama
Bazaari merchants
Theological students
Urban workers
Secular students
Secular Urban Intellectuals
Oil workers on strike, 1978.

8. Post-revolution: competing visions
1st (early Revolution) Vision
Moderate Constitutional Monarchy
2nd Vision
Secular Republic -- respecting but not controlled by Shi’ism
3rd Vision:
Theocracy-government of Ulama
From Marjane Satrapi, Persopolis

9. 1979 Iranian Revolution: How
Early days of protest & suppression
pamphlets,cassettes demonstrations
Violent suppression & continued resistance
Growing confrontation
Sept “Black Friday” in Tehran: wave of protests and violent suppression
Strikes, paralysis of Iranian economy, huge demonstrations, defections in the army
Jan M. Reza Shah flees the country
Feb. 1: A. Khomeini returns to Iran
Ayatollah Khomeini escorted by military officers upon his return to Iran. Photo from:

10. After the revolution New Islamic republic (03/1979) Foreign crises
But what was an “Islamic Republic?”
Foreign crises
U.S. hostage crisis
Nov. 1979
Iran-Iraq War,’80-’89
260,000 Iranians dead
Internal resistance & purges
internal conflict and suppression: 10,000 Iranians die
Photo:

11. The new theocracy: changes & reforms
The new state: democracy & theocracy
Islamicization of law & governance
Economy: state control, privatization
1988 and after: liberalization package
new privatization, reduction of govt subsidies, promotion of exports
oil still provides 40-50% of government income
New Sharia-based legal code
increasingly challenged in late 1980s
Cultural revolution
Social reforms
“Reconstruction Jihad”: Improved rural conditions
Improved education and public health
Rise in female literacy: 36% in 1976; 72% in 1996
Grassroots primary health care
Better family planning: drastic reduction in birthrate after 1988

12. One view of the Cultural Revolution
From Marjane Satrapi, Persopolis