Who instigated the white revolution of the shah and the people in. Iran is in the midst of an economic revolution and has enormous potential for economic growth. Following the success of the revolution, the islamists instituted a theocratic dictatorship and wiped out the workers movement and the left. At the first signs of escalating unrest in early 1978, neither iranian nor u.
Background and causes of the iranian revolution wikipedia. Iran having the islamic revolution in 1979 was the end of the old and start of the new. Both are difficult and tentative exercises, because irans islamic revolution appears to bear little ideological resemblance to revolutions in the west or to irans constitutional revolution of 190511. In 1963, the shah initiated his white revolution, a series of farreaching reforms intended to modernize and westernize iran. Americas population was not more than 4, 5 million at that time. The postmosaddeq era and the shahs white revolution shah distibuting land deeds.
There was a revolution in iran in 1979 because the people of iran had become disenchanted with the rule of the shah. The iranian revolution was not only a godsend for those muslims who identified with its cause, it was also a blessing for those among the american left who saw it as a significant blow against the evil american empire. Kennedy and the shah of iran, middle east journal, 58. Other articles where white revolution is discussed. The white revolution and the opposition 3 the family protection laws 4 adultery, rape, and prostitution in the penal code 141 women and labor legislation 145 5. Keddie provides insightful commentary on the iraniraq war, the persian gulf war, and the effects of 911 and irans. In 1961 the shah dissolved the 20th majles and cleared the way for the land reform.
Certain figures such as the famous george washington and others came to power, but the same things that happened to the french revolution happened to the american revolution as well. In this substantially revised and expanded version of nikki keddies classic workroots of revolution,the author brings the story of modern iran to the present day, exploring the political, cultural, and social changes of the past quarter century. The state, bureaucracy, and revolution in modern iran. I can start a revolution for you, he apparently told an american diplomat, but you wont like the end result. Ruhollah khomeini ruhollah khomeini centre greeting supporters after returning to tehran, february 1979. The iranian revolution 1977 1979 download pdf version by stephen zunes april 2009. The white revolution of iran mohammed reza pahlavi shah of iran imperial pahlavi library, 1967 history 177 pages. Muhammad reza shahs white revolution chapter 5 a history of. Edward said and the iranian revolution democratiya. The shahs white revolutioneducation and reform in iran.
A panel discussion was held on the status of the revolution in iran thirty years after the return of ayatollah ruhollah khomeini. While these reforms produced rapid economic growth, they also led to social dislocation, rapid. The shah, fearing both soviet influence and internal opposition, sought to bolster. Iranian revolution 4 opposition groups and organizations other opposition groups50 included constitutionalist liberals the democratic, reformist islamic freedom movement of iran, headed by mehdi bazargan, and the more secular national front. Women and the state152 womens suffrage and political inequality 154 womens agency 160 conformist women 162 elite women 163 womens organization of iran 168 women in the. The safavid dynasty ruled iran until 1722, when an afghan army invaded the country and captured isfahan. Khomeinis background, charisma, and thirst for revenge on those who inflicted personal injury. Situating itself within iranian political discourse, the concept retained an. Emphasizing the interaction between political organizations and social forces, ervand abrahamian discusses iranian society and politics during the period between the constitutional revolution of 19051909 and the islamic revolution of 19771979. They started a movement and established a government. In january 1963, the shah of iran held a national referendum to obtain approval for his total program which was known as the white revolution or the revolution of the shah and the people. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data farazmand. The case of iran, international journal of public administration, vol. They should be effectively neutered in their ability to wage war against israel.
Kennedy and the shah of iran article pdf available in the middle east journal 584. Enqelabe sefid or the shah and people revolution persian. They felt that he was modernizing and westernizing their country to a. Industrial expansion was promoted by the pahlavi regime, while political parties that resisted the shahs absolute consolidation of power were silenced and pushed to the margins. Before introducing changes i want to present some information about methodology that i used during my researches. Shia political ideology underwent a signi cant transformation in the late 1960s and early 1970s. No serious historian can write about these events without consulting his 10page essay on available source material in the unthinkable revolution in iran. His policy agenda was designed to achieve the following six goals. The iranian revolution also known as the islamic revolution or the 1979 revolution. Pdf the story of american relations with iran during the kennedy administration is one of misunderstandings and missed opportunities. Denying reality the revolution in iran thrust islam into mainstream discourse in america. The personality of irans ayatollah khomeini was a critical elem ent in defining irans war role. The revolution in iran is termed by the historians as one of the biggest historical event in the past. T he islamic republic of iran that emerged from the revolution of 1979 has lasted quite well.
Conventional academic and press coverage was stressing the positive achievements of the white revolution and echoing the shahs claim that iran could become a second japan. These two objectives were achieved through rural bureaucratization and extension of the states control to the remotest areas of iran. Ayatollah khomeini and the mobilization of dissent in the iranian. T he story of american relations with iran during the kennedy administration 19611963 is one of misunderstandings and missed opportunities. Thirty years on, and better late than never, iran is a more prosperous country than under the pahlavi. The roots of the islamic revolution can be traced to developments that long predated it. Charles kurzman has produced the definitive account of the islamic revolution.
Iranian revolution, also called islamic revolution, persian enqelabe eslami, popular uprising in iran in 197879 that resulted in the toppling of the monarchy on february 11, 1979, and led to the establishment of an islamic republic. Presented here is a study of the emergence of horizontal divisions, or socioeconomic classes, in a country with strong. Pdf this paper intends to explore the role and key contributions that ayatollah ruhollah played in the. You need to be able to give examples of each of these in order to explain why there was a. The iranian government restored diplomatic relations with britain in december 1953, and a new oil agreement was concluded in the following year. The iranian revolution past, present and future brought the safavids into direct conflict with the ottoman empire and led to two centuries of intermittent warfare between those two powerful states. This paper intends to explore the role and key contributions that ayatollah ruhollah played in the iranian revolution. Life in iran had dramatically changed in just a few years during this time period.
The iranian revolution a history and analysis of the revolution in which socialists aligned themselves with islamists to overthrow the westbacked shah. A brief lecture on the 1963 white revolution in iran. The author also discusses the impact of the revolution of 197879 on iranian bureaucracy. First of all while i was conducting research on changes i focused on specific time frame. James buchan considers ahmad kasravi, famed historian of irans democratic revolution, who first detailed the schism james buchan fri 26 jun 2009 19. The period 196063 marked a turning point in the development of the iranian state. We will then move on to situate the revolution in a global context. Shah initiated his white revolution, a series of far reaching reforms intended to modernize and west ernize iran. He reformed the program which was built especially to weaken those classes that supported. The white revolution in iran saturday, april 20, 20 lisa reynolds wolfe. The iranian revolution of 197779 was the first in a series of mass popular civil insurrections which would result in the overthrow of authoritarian regimes in dozens of countries over the next three decades.
Based on the scholarly literature, the study argues that it was only ruhollah. The predominant strand in leftwing analysis reflected the opposite view, phrased in. Trustees of princeton university irans islamic revolution in comparative perspective authors. Enqelabe shah o mardom was a farreaching series of reforms in iran launched in 1963 by the shah, mohammad reza pahlavi, which lasted until 1979. Understanding the differing meanings of iranian and persian learn about the bloody iraniraq war of 198088. Khomeini, who later became the leader of the islamic revolution, reinterpreted the shia political thought and proposed a novel islamic theory of state. Purpose and research questions this paper attempts to expose the role of social media tools and new communication technologies facebook, twitter, youtube, email, text messaging or photo sharing in the green movement in iran. The dynasty that the revolution overthrew the pahlavi dynasty was known for its autocracy, its focus on modernization and westernization as well as its disregard for religious and democratic measures in irans constitution the founder of the dynasty, army general reza shah pahlavi, replaced islamic laws with western ones, and forbade traditional islamic clothing, separation of. Many changes that took place in iran during this time period such as mandatory laws stating that women wear veils and how all games, alcohol, and parties were banned. The shah has publicly expressed his hope that the country will. The concept of exporting the islamic revolution derives from a particular worldview that perceives islamic revolution as the means whereby muslims and nonmuslims can liberate themselves from the oppression of tyrants who. It helped maintain and enhance the pahlavi regime under the shah by developing and guarding capitalism in rural iran. Hamas and hezbollah will finding that their funding from iran will cease. A history of modern iran by ervand abrahamian july 2008.
505 1448 208 417 897 1142 1381 1198 414 25 90 1447 204 1165 1128 608 187 170 231 499 1277 1101 692 1131 1051 391 68 505 180 268 174 585 532 583 756 186 1292