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Cemalettin Tapnar
136110038

Causes of Islamic Revolution of Iran

Revolution can be defined as gradual changes in every sphere of life such as

economics,culture,politics,land owning styles,etc moreover these changes take place suddenly
through huge supports of opponents of regime or political,economic system.There existed
some debates over revolution and its character that some scholars dealt with revolution
through Marxist(mode of production) perspective;some of them dealt with through
sociological perspective. However,some of the revolutions could not be classfied with certain
categories because it contains a lot of causes of necessaries of different type of
revolutions.1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran is one of the good example of different type of
revolution because 1979 Revolution had different causes and it could only explain neither
economic nor political reasons.
Today Iran is one of the key states in Middle East which have a rich history,tradition
and valuable,worthy natural resources,especially oil reserves an important place in its
economy.Also Iransethnic origin is different from general structure of region that this led to
some cultural and religious conflicts with other Arab countries of region.
In spite of many years passed over 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran its echo is still
continuing today because many of the politics and IR scholar beleive that their problemetical
relations with West is much more related with this gradual change.I think this revolution
deserves to scrutinize with its histrocal bacground,causes and effects because 1979 Revolution
is much more different from other crucial revolution,so I will try to clarify basic causes of
revolution in order to understand 1979 Islamic Revolution.
1.Histrocal Background
In late 19th century and early 20th century Iran was in the area of influence of Russia
and Britain that these countries had a great impact on Iran.After a half century situation could
not change but influential countries names changed.America and Britain were the main actors
of region against threat of Soviet Union and communism.This was not a unusual case
moreover this struggle,between liberal market capitalism and the evil communism,
could be seen all around the world.Especially Iran was very crucial for America and Britain in
the context of oil reserves and to keep away of Soviet Union from region in which
geographically so closer to Middle East than America and Britain.
In August aganist the nationalist leader Mosaddeq and its government was staged a
coup in which was supported America and Britain and this period was followed by an
absolutist administration for a quarter century.There were many reasons of supporting of coup

which carried crucial outcomes for Western countries.I will try to give some basic reasons of
whatever for America and Britain supported the coup and their goals.
First of all,there is no doubt,it was related with the Irans oil reserves that Iran have a
rich oil reserves and in today and in the past oil have taken important place on economic and
political choices.America and Britain wanted to take the control of Iran oil
reserves.Mosaddeqs interest in the context of oil was incompatible with Western
interests.They believed that in the rule of Shah oil cartel control will be taken by them.The
second and another important reason of support was fear of Soviet Union.They thought that
Iran had to keep far away from Soviet Union and communism effect.After the Second World
War the main aim and struggle,between US and Soviet Union, was to get adherent
countries.Both states supported their own sponsor leaders in different states.US and Britain
supported Shah Rza Pahlevi against Nationalist Mosaddeq.The other important reason and so
related with the statement which I mentioned above,Shah was more close to Western
ideas,values and economic understanding.These were the main goals of Western powers to
support coup against the Nationalist Mosaddeq.
With these reasons was made a coup against Mosaddeq and Shah Pahlevi became
leader on Iran state to take Western states supports.After the become of the Shah as new
leader of state he made a a chain of mistakes.These chain of mistakes created suitable
conditions of 1979 Revolution which was ended up with a creation of Islamic Iran Republic
and religious,holy leader Khomaini became most inflential person in Iran.Well what were the
maind reasons of 1979 Revolution namely mistakes of Shah regime ? I will try to explain the
conspicious,important reasons of Revolution and help to understand its phases.
2.Reasons of 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran
There is a growing concern about Revolution,which was made in 1979 in Iran in
which there was a relatively good economy,modernizing and powerful army,how did it
become possible ? There are many explanations of it which try to become it more deducible.
First of all,according to Misagh Parsa,Iran as a state was a most important
financier,industrialist,landowner in 1970s because of this there could be seen a growing
discontent around Iranians.Moreover,state was a main determinant of capital and have a too
much centralized structure which led to creation of located and dislocated people in the
regime.In the Shah regime there was a growing gap between located and dislocated people
and this was caused by support or opposotion to regime.People,if put in hand their chance
,had to choose their position either supporter of regime,who located in regime, or
opposition,who located out of regime,Marksists,Religious Leaders(Clerics),National Front
members, and aimed to destroy Shah regime .With the overthrown of Mosaddeq and after the
following years to keep far away his supporters from the state administration and
implications of cruel repressions and tortures led to intensification of discontent all around of
Iranians.There existed a suitable area for the aggressive people such as guerillas and mollahs
that created a dangerous situation for regime.

The another important reason was,according to Said Amir Arjomond,modern

revolutions could not be seen in an inactive societies that a revolution could occur only active
societies and Iran had a enough potential to fulfill a revolution because of the widening gap
between located and dislocated,Shah supporters and opponents,etc In addition to that this
revolution atmosphere could be created through two ways,namely it depends on two
factor.First of all for a revolution there needed an internal weakness or a powerfull resist
against the regime moreover sometimes needed combination of both of them.The second
factor is the solidarity between two or more opposing groups to overthrow unwanted regime
and leader but there is a big obstacle to act with solidarity which are interest of groups and
their values and moral motives that in these contexts groups have to be compatible with each
other or they have to respect their opinions.The secret of the success of the Revolution or a
content regime is holding on there which couldnt be succeeded in the age of Shah and 1979
Revolution that Shah did not know to share power with other powerful figures and this led to
an unrest situation against him.
The other important reason of Revolution is much more related with the centralization
efforts of Shah Rza Pahlevi and its direct consequence Land Reform.As I mentioned
above Shah started to a big centralization effort and this harmed many of the people which
were benefited from decentralized state structure.There were three victims of centralization of
the state under Shah control that these were tribal chiefs,Shite hieroacracy and big
landlords.With the land reforms these groups became victims of reforms and with the land
reforms many of the low class members and peasantry tried to settle in Tehran because Tehran
was the capital of wealth however other part of the country was too far away wealth and
lacked regular infrastructure.This led to a growing difference and gap between who live
Tehran and near of it and who live provincial .
Another important issue was,I mentioned above but I did not elaborate it,economic
growth with the Shah regime,however economic activity of Iran was based on oil trade which
was under the control of America and Britain.Absolutely economic growth could not be a
reason for revolution or rapid social change will but if the growing economy could not share
through a just way and just proportion this could be led to an unrest situation. As a matter of
fact this occured Unproportional and unjustice distribution of wealth among the Iranians
and widening economic gap between them,led to them rose up. While America,Britain and
Shah regime supporters enjoyed with their wealth the other classes of society suffered with
the economic policy of Shah.In addition to that in the area of agriculture the intensification of
using machine to cultivate led to big unemployment rate on provincials.
In addition to that Shah was so repressive against their opponents that he established
SAVAK,political police,which was responsible with the political issues and mostly dealt with
regimes opponents and old administration class(National Front).When the Shah opponents
tried to become together and wanted to made a plan or a demonstration SAVAK used their
excessive power and suppressed them ruthlessly.Shahs rigid attitude to his opponents which
was ended up with a growing discontent because repression mostly backlashs and creates
bigger unrest moreover this unrest situation came the peak point in 1978 and 1979 and ended
up with Islamic Revolution.

I think there are some other reasons which deserve to be mentioned like growing
reaction against Westerners and their values because Shah and his governance was mostly
prone to western type and this produced a discontent agenda around most of the Iranians
because they beleived that they have much more rich history and tradition moreover western
values were corrupted.This was more related with the religios causes which kept an important
place in Iranians daily life.
Other point which deserves to be mentioned,is urbanization and increased number of
educated middle-low classses.This was always keep important place in the world history,the
increasing number of educated middle-low class people led the gradual change in the
society.Because of the awareness of the unjust situations and unemployment of the these
educated low-middle class people was protested to regime and Shah.The other point is mostly
related with this case,redundant urbanization caused with unemployment because there were
no enough position to be situated.
As Said Amir Arjomand,revolution needs revolutionary ideology that without
revolutionary ideology there couldnt be started a movement against regime.In Iran
revolutionary ideology was provided by religious,social leaders and writers like Ali
eriati,Ruhollah Khomeini,and so on. They affected Iran society deeply and widely moreover
they helped to creation of revolutionary ideas .Even Ayatollah Khomeini became as a counter
symbol of Shah regime because of his intense efforts in 1970s moreover he became as a
Grand Ayatollah supreme leader of Iran Islamic Republic.
As I all mentioned above are basic reasons of Iran Islamic Revolution but I think there
are more reasons which I forget to write or have not read yet from any reading material but I
think these reasons give us to main template of reasons of Iran Islamic Revolution.Maybe it is
worthy to mention about Shah regimes chances to live relatively long period and success
briefly.First of all Shah used violence against him opponents and suppressed them that this led
to chance to live more years.The other reason was economic that Shah achieved relatively
economic success that GDP rates increased in the years of Shah.The other important reason
was populism.Iranian constitution paved to the way dealt with many problems for Iran
state.This list is draging on In 1979 Iran Islamic Revolution occured and todays Iran
substantially established.After the revolution Iran became the center of debates and these
debates are today still going on.