subject: The Iranian Revolution [print this page] The Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution
The Iranian revolution is often called the Islamic revolution. According to Wright the revolution happened in 1979 with the overthrowing of the Pahlavi dynasty which had been the monarchy in power. Iran had been in the hands of the monarch for longer periods than characterized the colonization of other modern countries (Nars, 2007)1. After the monarch was overthrown it was substituted by the Islamic Republic. This new republic of Iran was governed by the revolution's leader Ayatollah R.Khomeini (Nars, 2007)1.
According to Nars (2007)1, the climax of the revolution began with demonstrations against the monarch at the beginning of 1978 although the demonstrations and protest had been going on for much longer. The demonstrations intensified and caused the functions of the country to come to a halt. The Shah left the country on exile at the beginning of 1979 having failed to reach and agreement with the protesters (Kahlil, 2009)2.
After the Shah left the leaders of the revolution ceased the opportunity to head to Tehran where they were supported by many people in Iran. There was little resistance offered by Shah's remaining troops. According to Nars (2007)1, shortly after the Iranians went through a referendum chose to be an Islamic country.
1. Nars, V. (2007). The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape The
Future. New York: W. W. Norton & Company Press.
2. Khalil, L. (2009). Iran today: 1979 revolution redux? Retrieved on 5 December, 2010,
This became official April 1979. Additionally a new constitution was also voted in making the new leader of the republic Khomeini.
The revolution has largely been viewed as surprising in world affairs. This is because it did not have the ordinary reasons to start and at the same time it occurred in an accelerated manner. Most of the people in Iran supported the revolution and the seemingly superior monarch army did not out rightly squelch the revolution (Nars, 2007)3. There was also a lot of support for the revolution outside the country. Movements and organizations in different parts of the world sought support for Iran against a harsh ruler (Nars, 2007)3.
There have been several reason cites for the cause of the evolution. According to Nars (2007)3 one of the cause is the change that had come as a result of the constitution after the 1909 revolution. Although the Constitution was meant to make the country more democratic and pursue the desires of the people, it fell short of that. As a result people wanted reforms so that the goals of the constitution could be met (Nars, 2007)3.
The changes that had been happening did not engage the country a s cohesive unit. According to Nars (2007)3, many felt that they needed something else that would unify the country more. The Islamic faith seemed to be the natural bond and was thought that by returning to the Islamic way the country would have a brighter future that was more united (Esposito, 1990)4.
3. Nars, V. (2007). The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape The
Future. New York: W. W. Norton & Company Press.
4. Esposito, J. L. (1990). The Iranian revolution: its global impact. Gainesville, FL:
Florida University Press.
The country had been Islamic since the sixteenth century (Keddie, 2003)5 . As a result the Islamic faith was deeply rooted in the legal, social, political and religious life of the Iranians. Those who felt that an Islamic revolution was the solution got together, and started working on the revolution. When the last Shah came into power, he came with an agenda to improve the infrastructure and social services needed in the country (Keddie, 2003)5. Having been a military leader, he embraced modern developments and hoped to move the country in that direction (Keddie, 2003)5.
In addition he did not favor the Islamic daily life and aimed to restrict its practice altogether. The son of Reza Khan Mohammed Reza S. P. replaced his father supported by the British. He too shared his father's ideals for their country and continued in the same pursuits as his father. It was because of the Western influences that the Iranians felt was under way that they resisted the rule of the Shah and wanted to make Islam a concrete part of Iran as a country (Keddie, 2003)5.
In the beginning the changes that the Shah proposed had unsettled the ordinary life of the Iranians. There were big changes that interfered with their land, businesses and social life (Keddie, 2003)5. However many continued to be patient. However when the Shah began to attack the religion the stakes was raised.
According to Keddie (2001)5, the threat to Islamic faith was one of the most pressing reasons for the revolution. Since the Shah was the embodiment of this, it seemed natural that he had to go along with what he represented.
5. Keddie, N. (2003). Modern Iran: Roots and results of revolution. New York: Yale
University Press.
The fact that people were ill prepared for the changes proposed and effected by the Shah did not help the matter and badly interfered with the practice of the Islamic faith (Keddie, 2003)6. The Shah did not entertain dialogue and many opposed to him on religious grounds were imprisoned. At the most basic level the Shah lost touches with the people and did not seem to cater to their desires. The more Islam was threatened the more the western ways the Shah was introducing appeared wrong (Keddie, 2003)6. The Shah did not attempt to find a middle ground and thus Muslims felt that to protect their faith and ultimately their country they had to join the revolution. To many, Shah did not seem to care about equal rights or justice and left many with little choice (Keddie, 2003)6.
According to Keddie (2003)6 the time was right for a revolution in the Islamic world. While other countries had seen changes with Asia departing from the Monarch rule and Africa departing from white rule, the Islamic world produced its own revolution in Iran making it the new world's last revolution (Keddie, 2003)6. While some have argued that the results of the revolution reversed the developments made in Iran, over time Iran has proved that its system can still bring about democracy of sorts. The governance has borrowed from the western world in addition to its Islamic system (Keddie, 2003)6.
Another reason that has been cited for the revolution is the reforms that the Shah instituted (Keddie, 2003)6. These reforms covered many issues and were meant to benefit the economy. However they did not win the favor of Iranians especially religious leaders. They were presented without dialogue with stake holders and were forced on the people without regard for their input.
6. Keddie, N. (2003). Modern Iran: Roots and results of revolution. New York: Yale
University Press.
In the same way the economic reforms were perceived as too strict. Clearly the Shah was on a mission to boosts the economy but he severally alienated his people (Nars, 2007)7.
However people were not ready for the pace at which his government worked. The religious leaders had their power threatened and in some cases taken away as they now had little say in family legal matters or education (Keddie, 2003)8. Because of the manner in which the reforms affected the people those in rural areas were particularly in opposition to the rule of the Shah. There was emphasis on technology and modern way of doing things thrusting traditions aside (Keddie, 2003)8.
Iranians were also opposed to the Shah's financial budget which concentrated on modernization programs and weaponry. As a result many started to protest as early as the 1960s. The Shah responded with exiles to those opposed to his rule. Many in the opposition like Khomeini started calling for the removal of the Shah as the only way to protect the country. This was mostly done through Islamic system like the mosque. In the next 10 years the Shah lost more favor with the people (Nars, 2007)7.
Additionally the government began its attack on Khomeini who had become popular with the people. Many others had been the victim of the government and torture and imprisonment had bee a regular treatment of those opposed to the Shah. This solidified the revolution movement and the country rallied around Khomeini.
7. Nars, V. (2007). The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape The
Future. New York: W. W. Norton & Company Press.
8. Keddie, N. (2003). Modern Iran: Roots and results of revolution. New York: Yale
University Press.
Khomeini took the opportunity to reach out to even more Iranians and garner the support of not just the religious cause but democratic and social reformers. All those who were against the monarch rallied together to make sure that the monarch came to an end
The fact that the Shah's government did not aptly gauge the strength of the opposition led to a swift overthrow that was not foreseen. The Shah's attempt to pass some power to a member of the opposition did not squelch the momentum of the demonstrations and the feelings of the revolution. The real reasons for the revolution seem to have been the way in which the Shah brought about changes in the country which largely alienated the people. It was too fast for a country that was steeped in tradition and which weighs heavily on the advice of its religious leaders (Esposito, 1990)9.
According to Esposito (1990)9, the on goings in Iran are not the signs of a new revolution but rather the 1979 revolution finding expression in new struggles. Although the people from different segments joined together for the common goal of the overthrow of the Shah, there was a division soon after. There those who were reformers and those who were traditionalists. During the time of the revolution the religious and traditionalists were more influential and popular. However, those for democracy still hoped for a more democratic country (Esposito, 1990)9.
After the establishment of the new government however, the religious and traditionalists did not yield as much leaving the reformers to continue their quest for more democracy in Iran. Some of the reformers who were women did not achieve what they had hoped to gain for women in Iran (Esposito, 1990)9.
9. Esposito, J. L. (1990). The Iranian revolution: its global impact. Gainesville, FL:
Florida: University Press.
For example, from the Shah's ban against veils, they were now forced to wear them in the new government and according to Esposito (1990)10, soon other changes like sex segregation set in. There has therefore been protest as the reformers aim to attain their ideals and continue the change they envisioned at the start of the 1979 revolution (Esposito, 1990)10.
Some of the issues that still continue to spark protest are clerical regime and reforms which fall short of the reformists desires. The protests are best understood as a continuation of the earlier revolution which has never quite brought about what was hoped for. In this way the struggles in Iran's government today can be seen as revolutionary. The stifling effect of having a supreme leader especially in the modern world is encouraging more participation in calling for more freedoms, more interactions with the outside world and representation of different interest at the political arena (Khalil, 2009)11.
At the same time, the revolution is Islamic in that it continues to seek the perfection of the Islamic law which when practiced will guarantee the country progress and stability. It is for this reason as Khalil (2009)11 states that reformist boycotted the recent elections and used Islamic quotes to declare the supremacy of Allah contrasted against the supremacy of the leaders. In the view of modern protesters, the religious leaders have become compromised and are the ones who are now mishandling the country.
10. Esposito, J. L. (1990). The Iranian revolution: its global impact. Gainesville, FL:
Florida: University Press.
11. Khalil, L. (2009). Iran today: 1979 revolution redux? Retrieved on 5 December,
According to (Esposito, 1990)12 the government is being increasingly viewed as the new 'Shah' in that they use their authority to control the people and are no longer interested in delivering the goals of the revolution. Iranians are aware of the goals of the revolution and the long struggle that they have gone through in trying to reach their ideals. Islam has always been of great importance to Iran. The Iranians seek a genuine Islamic faith without the interference of the western world. Khomeini was visionary about the kind of Islam that he wanted in Iran (Keddie, 2003)13.
It is for this reason that the government pursues the ideals of the Shia Islam. Without genuine Islam Iran will have lost the goals of the revolution which they till desire to export to other parts of the world (Esposito, 1990)12. The country can not be truly Islamic if the leaders are corrupt and even engaged in election rigging. The credit of the supreme leader and his regime is especially important in continuing the struggle since it was one of the reasons the revolution got a lot of support (Keddie, 2003)13 If the regime is discredited as truly Islamic then it will not have the same loyalty it has been owed and that has been given to it over the years.
According to (Esposito, 1990)12 Iran is at crossroads. There are numerous problems that threaten the government. The protesters are decrying the vast corruption, social restrictions and economic disharmony. Despite the theocracy, the people are united. Unlike other countries in the Middle East, the Iranians are struggling forth with their ideals to be a democratic country as well. According to (Esposito, 1990)12 there are new political and social movements emerging to pursue the desires of the people.
12. Esposito, J. L. (1990). The Iranian revolution: its global impact. Gainesville, FL:
Florida University Press.
13. Keddie, N. (2003). Modern Iran: Roots and results of revolution. New York: Yale
University Press.
It is in the new way that Iran is setting the way for other Islamic countries in the similar situations. Other countries in the Middle East are borrowing from Iran even though they were skeptical in the beginning (Esposito, 1990)14. This had been fueled by the radicalism that Iran represented to the other Islamic countries and Khomeini's attacks especially on other forms of Islam. Many countries were therefore immediately and thereafter affected by Iran's revolution (Esposito, 1990)14
