Social Origins of the Iranian Revolution 0813514126, 9780813514123

Table of contents :
Cover
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
List of Figures and Tables
Preface
Part One: Introduction and Background
Chapter 1: Explanations of the Revolution
BREAKDOWN THEORIES
THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT MODEL
A STRUCTURAL MODEL
SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND THE NATURE OFCOLLECTIVE ACTION
SOLIDARITY STRUCTURES AND CONSOLIDATION
Chapter 2: The Politics of Power
An Overview of the Conflicts
ROYALISTS VERSUS MODERNIZERS, 1941—1953
THE WHITE REVOLUTION AND REPRESSION
CAPITAL ACCUMULATION, CRISIS, CHALLENGE, AND COLLAPSE
Chapter 3 State Accumulation Policies
The Setting of Social Conflicts
THE STATE, OIL, AND CAPITAL ACCUMULATION
THE WEAKNESSES OF STATE-SPONSORED DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL INEQUALITY
THE STATE AND ECONOMIC CRISIS
Part Two: Mobilization and Revolution
Chapter 4 The Bazaar
The Eye of the Storm
THE BAZAAR AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT
THE BAZAAR AND THE CONFLICTS OF THE EARLY 1960s
THE BAZAAR AND THE REBELLION OF CLERICAL STUDENTS, JUNE 1975
BAZAARIS AND THE STATE AFTER 1975
BAZAARI MOBILIZATION AGAINST THE STATE, 1977-1979
BAZAARIS AND THE ARTICULATION OF CONFLICTS
CONCLUSION
Chapter 5 Autumn Allies
Industrial Workers and White-Collar Employees
ThE WORK FORCE PRIOR TO THE REVOLUTION
COLLECTIVE ACTIONS OF WORKERS AND WHITE-COLLAR EMPLOYEES
THE TEACHERS’ STRIKE OF MAY 1961
THE UPRISINGS OF 1963
WORKERS IN THE 1970s
REFORM AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MOBILIZATION IN THE FALL OF 1978
OIL WORKERS AND DUAL SOVEREIGNTY
CONCLUSION
Chapter 6 The Secular Contenders
THE NATIONAL FRONT
THE WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION AND POETRY NIGHTS
THE IRANIAN PEOPLE’S FEDAYEE GUERRILLAS
CONCLUSION
Chapter 7: The Mosque and Islamic Forces
THE STATE AND THE CLERGY, 1950-1975
THE WHITE REVOLUTION AND THE CLERGY
THE FREEDOM MOVEMENT AND THE ISLAMIC MOJAHEDEEN
ISLAMIC OPPOSITION DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD
COLLECTIVE ACTION AND RELIGIOUS PROTESTS
AYATOLLAH KHOMEINI AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE STRUGGLES
Part Three: Denouement
Chapter 8: The Final Collapse
REFORMS AND INFORMAL REPRESSION
THE:PEOPLE RESPOND
THE IMPOSITION OF THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT
THE FINAL RETREAT AND THE RISE OF DUAL SOVEREIGNTY
THE COLLAPSE OF THE ARMED FORCES
CONCLUSION
Chapter 9: Conflicts within the Islamic Republic
STATE STRUCTURE AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
AUTONOMY MOVEMENTS
THE PEASANTRY
THE UNIVERSITIES
THE RISE OF WORKERS’ COUNCILS
BAZAARIS AND THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
POLITICAL CONFLICTS
THE IRP AND CLERICAL DIVISIONS
CONCLUSION
Chapter 10: Conclusion
SUMMARY OF THE ANALYSIS
Mobilization and Revolution
Leadership Organizations
Notes
CHAPTER 1: EXPLANATIONS OF THE REVOLUTION
CHAPTER 2: THE POLITICS OF POWER
CHAPTER 3: STATE ACCUMULATION POLICIES
CHAPTER 4: THE BAZAAR
CHAPTER 5: AUTUMN ALLIES
CHAPTER 6: THE SECULAR CONTENDERS
CHAPTER 7: THE MOSQUE AND ISLAMIC FORCES
CHAPTER 8: THE FINAL COLLAPSE
CHAPTER 9: CONFLICTS WITHIN THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
References
BOOKS AND ARTICLES IN ENGLISH AND FARSI
NEWSPAPERS AND PAMPHLETS
ARCHIVAL MATERIAL
Index
Back Cover

Citation preview

Misagh Parsa

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SOCIAL ORIGINS OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION

Studies in Political Economy A series edited by Michael Schwartz

SOCIAL ORIGINS OF THE IRANIAN

REVOLUTION Misagh Parsa

RUTGERS

UNIVERSITY PRESS

New Brunswick and London

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Parsa, Misagh, 1945—

Social origins of the Iranian revolution / Misagh Parsa. p: cm.—(Studies in political economy) Bibliography: p. Includes index. ISBN 0-8135-1411-8 (cloth) ISBN 0-8135-1412-6 (pbk.) 1. Iran—Politics and government—1941-1979. 2. Iran—Pollitics and government—19793. Revolutions—Iran. 4. Revolutions—Case studies. 5. Revolutions—Social aspects—Iran. I. Title. Il. Series. DS316.6.P37 1989 955’ .053—dc19 88-31285 CIP

British Cataloging-in-Publication information available

Copyright © 1989 by Rutgers, The State University All Rights Reserved Manufactured in the United States of America

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Contents

List of Figures and Tables Preface PartI

xi

Introduction and Background

Explanations of the Revolution N

The Politics of Power State Accumulation Policies

Part II

31

Mobilization and Revolution

The Bazaar Autumn Allies The Secular Contenders

The Mosque and Islamic Forces

1 ND

Part III

189

Denouement

The Final Collapse Conflicts within the Islamic Republic

223 249

vill

10

Contents

Conclusion Notes References Index

299 I Ie f os

List of Figures and Tables Figures Figure 1.1

Levels of State Intervention in Capital Accumulation 19

Figure 1.2

and the Nature of Collective Action Levels of Development and Likelihood of

Consolidation of Disadvantaged Collectivities

27

Tables

Table 1.1

Interaction between State Intervention and Consolidation, and Likely Outcome

Table 3.1 Table 3.2 Table 3.3 Table 4.1

Table 5.1 Table 5.2

Distribution of Iran’s GDP by Sector, Selected Years Land Distribution in Iran, 1975 Regional Development Expenditure of the Fourth Plan of the Government of Iran Work Force Employed in Urban Commerce and Handicraft Distribution of Labor Force by Economic Sectors Occupational Structure of Urban Iran, 1956-1976

13 65 73

81 107 129 131

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Preface

In this book I attempt to explain the social causes of the Iranian revolution. In many ways, the revolution and its outcome have appeared unusual and, undoubtedly, very complex. Over the years, I became skeptical of the prevailing explanations of the revolution offered by other scholars. Some explained the revolutionary conflicts in Iran in terms of reactions to modernization, which, they argued, undermined traditional social structures and created normlessness. This explanation was not convincing because many participants in the conflicts insisted on political freedom, social justice, and the elimination of foreign domination.

Iranians had fought for these goals long before the 1979 revolution. Hence, normlessness and confusion could not account for the revolu-

tion. Other scholars explained the revolutionary conflicts in terms of socioeconomic development and the rise of new social classes that demanded political participation. Once again, this analysis was unconvincing because Iranians had held the ideals of political freedom and participation long before the recent socioeconomic development. Still other analysts explained the revolutionary conflicts in terms of the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. This explanation also seemed unconvincing

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Preface

because the vast majority of participants in the revolutionary uprising did not indicate in any way that they wanted to establish a society based on fundamentalist principles. Moreover, the establishment of the Islamic Republic did not put an end to the social and political conflicts, as might have been expected had a consensus existed. Finally, these theories were entirely too sketchy to explain the very complex processes that led to the downfall of the monarchy. To explain this revolution, I concluded that a broad theory of revolu-

tion and political conflict was needed that could be applied to contemporary Third World countries, Iran among them, From the mid-1970s, I had been working on developing such a theory. The Iranian revolution spurred me to put together the elements of this theory, which is intended to illuminate political conflicts and revolution in the Third World. This book presents a structural theory of collective action and revolution. Specifically, the research analyzes Iranian social structure as a framework within which to understand how and why social conflicts emerged and were directed against the state. To avoid explaining the revolution in terms of its outcome, I have focused on the actions and interactions of all the major participants in the revolutionary conflicts, in depth and over time. To my knowledge, no previous study of the Iranian revolution has undertaken a detailed investigation of the mobilization and collective actions of various groups and classes prior to, during, and after the overthrow of the monarchy. The present work represents just such an undertaking, focusing on specific events of collective action initiated by the major groups throughout the country that participated in the revolution. The most important sources of data on mobilization and collective action were official newspapers, although I also interviewed a number of individuals, particularly bazaaris, who were active in the political mobilization.

In addition, I

used government documents and scholarly sources to gather evidence on the pattern of economic development of Iran. Thus, this book contains both a new theoretical framework and new data on the collective actions that comprised the revolution. Chapter 1 opens with a critique of previous explanations of the Iranian revolution and presents my alternative structural theory of economic development and social conflict. Chapter 2 presents an outline of the political conflicts of Iran during the twentieth century, particularly the period prior to the overthrow of the monarchy. Chapter 3 analyzes the regime’s economic policies, which set the stage for the revolutionary

Preface