STUDENT NOTES - 4

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STUDENT NOTES - 4

• CH. 7 THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

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How have Iranian leaders democratized the
political process?

• Liberalization of the press and other media.
• Currently, the press is independent, but heavily
  regulated by the government.
• Satellite dishes are illegal, but many Iranians
  have them anyway.
• Elections (regular competitive)
• In 2003, however, the Council of Guardians chose
  not to vet candidates. Even avowed secularists
  were allowed to run.
• In 2005, many secular Iranians boycotted the
  elections as a form of protest to the
  disqualification of candidates.
• 2009 Green Movement
• Allowing more political parties/ allowing more
  candidates to run.
• Broadened participation of women. Islamic
  feminism
• Relaxation of the dress codes (examples of civil
  liberties)
• Veiling is now enforced less strictly and partial
  covering of the head called mal-veiling has
  spread.
• Beginning in 1999, they have allowed for
  local/city elections.
• However, ultimate power rests with the unelected
  bodies so voting is seen as a futile exercise

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How have they resisted democratization of the
political process?

• Still, vetting of candidates.
• Shariah law governs election procedures
• The Basij morality police is a pro-regime
  volunteer organization that monitors and contends
  with the political activities of students and
  faculties. They often mobilize political
  activities of students for pro-regime activities
  on the campuses.
• Arresting professors/dissenter/demonstrations.
• Criticism of Supreme Leader forbidden.
• Guardian Council vetoes legislature. All are
  directly or indirectly appointed by the Leader.
• Blocking the Internet.
• Divorce laws are still degrading to women.
• According to Islamic law, marriage is a contract
  whose clauses have to be agreed upon freely by
  both husband and wife. A woman has the right to
  ask her marriage contract include a clause giving
  her the right to initiate divorce proceedings.
  This clause, in the past, has had to be added to
  the standard contract issued by the state, which
  was rarely allowed (meaning women did not have
  the right to ask for a divorce.)

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• Media in Iran is both privately and publicly
  owned.
• Both are subject to censorship by the government.
  
• The government engages in censorship programs to
  anything divergent from the countrys
  regulations.
• The majority of Iranians, around eighty-percent,
  receive their news from government-owned media.
• This helps reduce the assimilation of news into
  the public sphere that the government does not
  approve of.
• Many Iranian citizens use VPN networks to surpass
  the governments internet restrictions to use
  social medias such as Twitter and Facebook.

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• Around 963 pages in Iran are blocked from the
  general public.
• Half of these pages are about people.
• Of this half, around 108 citizens of Iran have
  allegedly been killed and 161 have been detained.
• Of the blocked pages
• - Civil and Political-------------- 42
• - Sex and Sexuality------------- 20
• - Religion---------------------------- 14
• - Human Rights------------------- 10
• - The Arts ---------------------------- 6
• - Media and Journalism----- 5
• -Academic Page-------------- 2

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Current Policy Challenges

• Economic Policymaking most contentious topic
• 1980s liberal approach private sector, market
  mechanisms
• Mixed results, led to hardship, faced opposition
• Under Ahmadinejad
• Populist rhetoric of redistribution,
  privatization
• Uses government contracts to reward allies
• Spreading Progress and Prosperity
• State educational system good
• Birth control, health care
• Roads, basic services

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POLITICAL ECONOMY AND DEVELOPMENT
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REVIEW What is a rentier state?

• A state that is dependent on the export or sale
  of one resource for the revenue it uses to
  sustain the populations needs.

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How is Iran a Rentier State?

• Irans main export is oil, and because taxes do
  not guarantee much revenue, Iran is dependent on
  its income from oil. As a result, Irans economy
  will fluctuate due to the changes in the market.
• Resource cursethe concept that revenue derived
  from abundant natural resources, such as oil,
  often bring unforeseen ailments to countries.

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Current Policy Challenges

• First decade of Islamic Republic
• Some redistribution of wealth
• Leadership mostly from middle-class backgrounds
• Adopted populist policies, bettered poor
• Poverty, inequality, underemployment continue
• Constitution fiercely opposed to communism
• Job creation very inadequate
• Need to increase economic output population
  grows 600,000 a year
• Dissatisfaction with status quo among ethnic
  minorities
• Corruption

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Current Policy Challenges

• Foreign Policy
• Under Shah - US an ally
• Now neither East nor West
• 1990s national interest rather than exporting
  revolution dominated
• Third World desire to escape hegemony of West
• Regional trade in goods, services with Middle
  East
• Main issue confronting Iranian diplomacy is
  nuclear program
• International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring
• Sanctions

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