March 31 Iranian Paradox Agenda Country Briefs Notes

March 31 – Iranian Paradox Agenda: • Country Briefs • Notes: Iranian Paradox • Video: Iran Homework: • Page: 389 - 398 Take out: • Pen/Pencil • Country Briefs • Notebook • Notes on Iran

Things to Pay Attention To Themes: • Impact of Islamic Revolution of 1979 • Conflict among political elite over country’s course • Real political competition • Impact of Political culture – Democratic influences – Theocratic/Islamic influences • How power is exercised – Who • Revolutionary Guard • Basiji – Using what institutions? Informal? • Elite (and fractures) – Clerics – Factions

Things to Pay Attention To Problems: • Economic misdistribution • Political corruption • Relationship with the West • Citizen and State Relationship – Participation – Political cleavages (and how the power elite plays into it!)

Iran – General Information • • Population: 76, 420, 000 Capital: Tehran President: Hassan Rouhani Supreme leader: Ali Khamenei • Official language: Persian • Government: Unitary state, Islamic republic, Theocracy (…It’s Complicated)

Comparison - Size

The Paradox of Iran Like a Persian carpet, Iran is complicated, multi-layered, and complex.

Islam • 1 billion adherents • Means “submission to God” • Five Pillars 1. Iman (Faith) “There is no god worthy of worship except God, and Muhammad is His messenger” (Shahadah) 2. Salat (Prayer) 5 times a day facing Mecca 3. Zakah—Give to charity 4. Sawm—Fast during Ramadan (when God revealed the Qur’an to Mohammed) 5. Hajj—Pilgrimage to Mecca once in life

The Iranian Paradox • Paradox – 2 things that seem opposite but somehow work together • Look for the paradoxes present in life in Iran. • Political culture • Political cleavages

Islam • Sunni – “Followers of tradition” – Majority of Muslims worldwide – Sunnis recognized the early dynasties that ruled the Islamic empire after Muhammad (d. 632) – Voted on leader • Shi’ite – “Partisans of Ali” – Less than 10% of Muslims worldwide – Iran is the Shi’a epicenter – Shi’ites believe that after the Prophet died, his authority should have been passed on to Imam Ali and his descendants – “Hidden Imam”

Population • 76. 4 million • 30 million added since the Revolution • Iran’s young population will create economic pressures

Impact of Geography • The north leans more to the left, due to its exposure to communism • The eastern borders are more conservative • Tehran is more developed, at the expense of poor and rural areas • 1000 people/day migrate to Tehran

The Economy • • • Over-reliance on oil created a rentier state 90% of revenue comes from oil Iran is vulnerable to the global market Subsidies are a drag on the economy Iran needs to diversify

Urbanization • 65% of the population lives in urban areas • Population growth will have repercussions • There is sex education, condoms

Education • 1/3 of all Iranians are students • Students are politically active and cause problems for the state • Women benefit from education

The Media • Thriving cinema and translation industry • Investigative journalism • A paradox: a repressive regime with intellectual property

Iran’s Predicament • The state has lost some legitimacy, but there are no serious challenges to its authority • Class disparities have increased • The young population will create economic pressure in the future • The clergy will be faced with having to “deliver the goods”