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Chapter 13: Iran Slide 2 Slide 3 The Accidental President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad election 2005 and controversial 2009 reelection Not a cleric Hardliner against the west conservative party 2009 Loser Mir-Hossein Mousavi-reform party Iranian politics more nuanced than the view supported by casual observation or political rhetoric Slide 4 Slide 5 The Basics Shiite vs. Sunni Shiite dominance in Iran established clergy and theological training tradition of theological debate to reach truth Shiism is not monolithic before Islamic revolution, most clergy shunned politics Slide 6 The Basics Persia vs. Shiism: two powerful traditions Social and economic conditions huge oil reserves income and wealth distribution is highly unequal brain drain since 1979 challenges of the very young population Slide 7 The Basics The Status of Women Islamic debate about roles of women women suffered from Islamic revolution changes reform minded women emerged 20 years later Key questions Why is economic development difficult? Why is Iran a theocracy? Does Irans isolation limit the development of democracy? Slide 8 Slide 9 The Evolution of the Iranian State The Last Shahs defeat of Constitutional Revolution led to increased British and Russian influence US supported coup to reinstate the Shah White Revolution (1963) to modernize and westernize Iran Khomeini organized Shiite resistance to Shah Slide 10 The Evolution of the Iranian State The Islamic Republic Khomeini as Supreme Leader consolidation of power and purges occupation of US embassy Iran-Iraq war increased levels of repression within Iran-Revolutionary Gaurd Slide 11 Slide 12 The Evolution of the Iranian State The Islamic Republic Rafsanjanis presidency Rasanjani a pragmatist Khameini (new Supreme Leader) more conservative Khatamis presidency: moderate stressing development of civil society Khameinis reassertion of power 2004 majlis election 2005 election of Ahmadinejad Slide 13 The People and Politics Political Culture no homogeneous political culture cleavages within Shiism division between rural and urban poor and urban middle class and wealthy-Mullahs, tribal/local leader unpredictable evolution of huge youth cohort Slide 14 The People and Politics Protest and challenges to the Islamic Republic 1999, 2003, and 2007 2009 Green Revolution (mostly students) no precedent for democratic reform movement Elections and the prospects for Democracy freest electoral system in Middle East eight presidential and seven legislative elections dozens of parties unelected Guardian Council blocks democracy Slide 15 Slide 16 Structure of Government Slide 17 The People and Politics The Iranian state Unelected elements Supreme Leader: controls military, media, judiciary, and clerical hierarchy Guardian Council: approves all candidates and legislation Expediency Council: mediates between majlis and Guardian Council judiciaray Slide 18 What are some theocratic institutions in Iran? 1.Shariah is the religious legal code and forms the basis for laws. 2.Supreme Leader. The Supreme Leader serves for life and is the commander in chief of the armed services and heads the police. 3.Guardian Council. Has the function of ensuring that candidates for public office conform to high religious standards and they can disqualify candidates who do not meet their criteria. Both groups have the primary function of ensuring that Iran remains a theocracy. Slide 19 The People and Politics The Iranian state Elected Institutions president Assembly of Experts Majlis The Routinization of Charisma: combination of Persian and Shiite traditions seems to require charismatic leadership Slide 20 What are some democratic institutions in Iran? 1.candidates for Parliament are elected by universal suffrage using Democratically elected Parliament (Majles). Multiple party lists, like many parliamentary systems. 2.Democratically elected President. The president is directly elected by citizens for up to two terms. After they are elected, both the Parliament and the president will work on secular policies such as the economy. Their power is limited, however, because it must be approved by the assembly of religious experts and the expediency council. Slide 21 Which Iranian bodies are DIRECTLY elected by citizens? Parliament (majles) Assembly of Religious Experts Presidency. Slide 22 Elections (regular, competitive) Iran has multi-member constituencies. Each voter can write down the names of as many candidates as there are seats, and the top vote getters in each constituency are elected. If a constituency has more seats than candidates who passed the 50% barrier, a second round is held to determine the remaining MPs from among the runners up. In 2000, parliamentary elections, the Council of Guardians disqualified an unprecedented number of the candidates and the winners were mostly the very religious. In 2003, however, the Council of Guardians chose not to vet candidates. Even avowed secularists were allowed to run. In 2005, many secular Iranians boycotted the elections as a form of protest to the disqualification of candidates. Slide 23 Protests by leaders (members of Parliament, etc) Protests come from teachers, ethnic groups, and university groups. The regime will generally suppress these protests but Parliament is given greater freedom to protest. Allowing more political parties/ allowing more candidates to run. Relaxation of the dress codes (examples of civil liberties) Veiling is now enforced less strictly and partial covering of the head called mal-veiling has spread. Beginning in 1999, they have allowed for local/city elections. However, ultimate power rests with the unelected bodies so voting is seen as a futile exercise In the 2 003 elections, only 15% of eligible voters in Tehran have voted. (mostly conservatives, who elected Ahmadinejad as mayor. Slide 24 How have Iranian leaders democratized the political process? Liberalization of the press and other media. Currently, the press is independent, but heavily regulated by the government. The Head of the Radio and Television Organization is directly appointed by the Supreme Leader and the media is not allowed to be directly critical of the governments policies. The exact rules for the media are a bit vague, and it is not unusual for the newspapers to be shut down by the government for violating a rule. Satellite dishes are illegal, but many Iranians have them anyway. Cell Phones and internet have been dramatic in transparency and rebellious communication Many journalists have been imprisoned or attacked, are heroes of many youth. Slide 25 How have they resisted democratization of the political process? Still, vetting of candidates. Shariah law governs election procedures The Basij morality police is a pro-regime volunteer organization that monitors and contends with the political activities of students and faculties. They often mobilize political activities of students for pro- regime activities on the campuses. Divorce laws are still degrading to women. According to Islamic law, marriage is a contract whose clauses have to be agreed upon freely by both husband and wife. A woman has the right to ask her marriage contract include a clause giving her the right to initiate divorce proceedings. This clause, in the past, has had to be added to the standard contract issued by the state, which was rarely allowed (meaning women did not have the right to ask for a divorce.) Since the 1980s few women have consented to the state contract, and now the clause is automatically included in MOST marriage contracts. Slide 26 Public Policy Faith and gender theocracy treatment of women is a telling sign of state of affairs The Economy average wealth equal to Mexico or Russia dependence on export of oil poverty, inflation, and unemployment of youth are unsolved problems bonyads, created from seized property of former regime leaders and powerful economic influence Slide 27 Public Policy Iran and the United States: Toward the Next War? US involvement since 53 coup hostile policies from US attacks during embassy occupation opposition during Iran-Iraq war axis of evil label ambiguity of nuclear power/weapons program economic influence Some positives with NGOs like Common Ground Slide 28 Feedback: media all but completely controlled by government Conclusion: Uncertainty internal and external forces ambiguous reaction of huge youth cohort to change or lack of change unpredictable attitudes of leadership uncertain