STUDENT NOTES - 4

CH. 7 – THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

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.

– Satellite dishes are illegal, but many Iranians have them anyway. • Elections (regular; competitive)

– 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.

– 2009 – Green Movement• Allowing more political parties/ allowing more candidates to run.• Broadened participation of women. “Islamic feminism” • 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

How have they resisted democratization of the political process?

• Still, vetting of candidates.• Shari’ah 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.

• Arresting professors/dissenter/demonstrations.• Criticism of Supreme Leader forbidden.• Guardian Council vetoes legislature. All are directly or indirectly

appointed by the Leader. • Blocking the Internet. • 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.)

• Media in Iran is both privately and publicly owned.– Both are subject to censorship by the government.

• The government engages in censorship programs to anything divergent from the country’s regulations. – The majority of Iranians, around eighty-percent, receive

their news from government-owned media.• This helps reduce the assimilation of news into the

public sphere that the government does not approve of.

• Many Iranian citizens use VPN networks to surpass the governments internet restrictions to use social media’s such as Twitter and Facebook.

• Around 963 pages in Iran are blocked from the general public.– Half of these pages are about people.– Of this half, around 108 citizens of Iran have

allegedly been killed and 161 have been detained.• Of the blocked pages:- Civil and Political-------------- 42%- Sex and Sexuality------------- 20%- Religion---------------------------- 14%- Human Rights-------------------10%- The Arts ---------------------------- 6%- Media and Journalism----- 5%-Academic Page-------------- 2%

Current Policy Challenges

• Economic Policymaking: most contentious topic• 1980s liberal approach: private sector, market

mechanisms• Mixed results, led to hardship, faced opposition• Under Ahmadinejad:

– Populist rhetoric of redistribution, privatization– Uses government contracts to reward allies

• Spreading Progress and Prosperity– State educational system good– Birth control, health care– Roads, basic services

POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENTPOLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT

REVIEW: What is a rentier state?

• A state that is dependent on the export or sale of one resource for the revenue it uses to sustain the population’s needs.

How is Iran a Rentier State?

• Iran’s main export is oil, and because taxes do not guarantee much revenue, Iran is dependent on its income from oil. As a result, Iran’s economy will fluctuate due to the changes in the market.

– Resource curseResource curse—the concept that revenue derived from abundant natural resources, such as oil, often bring unforeseen ailments to countries.

Current Policy Challenges

• First decade of Islamic Republic:– Some redistribution of wealth– Leadership mostly from middle-class

backgrounds– Adopted populist policies, bettered poor– Poverty, inequality, underemployment

continue– Constitution fiercely opposed to communism

• Job creation very inadequate• Need to increase economic output: population

grows 600,000 a year• Dissatisfaction with status quo among ethnic

minorities• Corruption

Current Policy Challenges• Foreign Policy

–Under Shah - US an ally–Now – neither East nor West

• 1990s: national interest rather than exporting revolution dominated

• Third World desire to escape hegemony of West

• Regional trade in goods, services with Middle East

• Main issue confronting Iranian diplomacy is nuclear program– International Atomic Energy Agency

monitoring–Sanctions