These factors resulted in the bolstering of a dictatorship out of touch with the iranian people, inevitably leading to the revolution that occurred in 197879. Conventional academic and press coverage was stressing the positive achievements of the white revolution and echoing the shahs claim that iran could become a second japan. I can start a revolution for you, he apparently told an american diplomat, but you wont like the end result. Who instigated the white revolution of the shah and the people in. Other articles where white revolution is discussed. Emphasizing the interaction between political organizations and social forces, ervand abrahamian discusses iranian society and politics during the period between the constitutional revolution of 19051909 and the islamic revolution of 19771979. Purpose and research questions this paper attempts to expose the role of social media tools and new communication technologies facebook, twitter, youtube, email, text messaging or photo sharing in the green movement in iran. Hamas and hezbollah will finding that their funding from iran will cease. The iranian government restored diplomatic relations with britain in december 1953, and a new oil agreement was concluded in the following year. The bbc persian service and the islamic revolution of 1979. T he story of american relations with iran during the kennedy administration 19611963 is one of misunderstandings and missed opportunities. You need to be able to give examples of each of these in order to explain why there was a.
A brief lecture on the 1963 white revolution in iran. Shia political ideology underwent a signi cant transformation in the late 1960s and early 1970s. At the first signs of escalating unrest in early 1978, neither iranian nor u. There was a revolution in iran in 1979 because the people of iran had become disenchanted with the rule of the shah.
We will then move on to situate the revolution in a global context. The roots of the islamic revolution can be traced to developments that long predated it. They should be effectively neutered in their ability to wage war against israel. Background and causes of the iranian revolution wikipedia. Many changes that took place in iran during this time period such as mandatory laws stating that women wear veils and how all games, alcohol, and parties were banned. Following the success of the revolution, the islamists instituted a theocratic dictatorship and wiped out the workers movement and the left. The predominant strand in leftwing analysis reflected the opposite view, phrased in. It helped maintain and enhance the pahlavi regime under the shah by developing and guarding capitalism in rural iran. Life in iran had dramatically changed in just a few years during this time period. The iranian revolution of 197779 was the first in a series of mass popular civil insurrections which would result in the overthrow of authoritarian regimes in dozens of countries over the next three decades. First of all while i was conducting research on changes i focused on specific time frame. Industrial expansion was promoted by the pahlavi regime, while political parties that resisted the shahs absolute consolidation of power were silenced and pushed to the margins. Presented here is a study of the emergence of horizontal divisions, or socioeconomic classes, in a country with strong. These two objectives were achieved through rural bureaucratization and extension of the states control to the remotest areas of iran.
Khomeinis theory of islamic state and the making of the. The safavid dynasty ruled iran until 1722, when an afghan army invaded the country and captured isfahan. He reformed the program which was built especially to weaken those classes that supported. A panel discussion was held on the status of the revolution in iran thirty years after the return of ayatollah ruhollah khomeini. The iranian revolution also known as the islamic revolution or the 1979 revolution. The state, bureaucracy, and revolution in modern iran. A history of modern iran in a radical reappraisal of iran s modern history, ervand abrahamian traces its traumatic journey across the twentieth century, through the discoveryofoil,imperialinterventions,theruleofthepahlavis,and,in 1979, revolution and the birth of the islamic republic. Ayatollah khamenei, a member of the islamic opposition during the reign of the former shah of iran, must remember that during the iranian revolution of 1979, mohammad reza pahlavi also blamed bbc persian then only a radio service for instigating the revolution. Women and the state152 womens suffrage and political inequality 154 womens agency 160 conformist women 162 elite women 163 womens organization of iran 168 women in the. In january 1963, the shah of iran held a national referendum to obtain approval for his total program which was known as the white revolution or the revolution of the shah and the people. Iranian revolution 4 opposition groups and organizations other opposition groups50 included constitutionalist liberals the democratic, reformist islamic freedom movement of iran, headed by mehdi bazargan, and the more secular national front. In 1963, the shah initiated his white revolution, a series of farreaching reforms intended to modernize and westernize iran. A history of modern iran by ervand abrahamian july 2008. No serious historian can write about these events without consulting his 10page essay on available source material in the unthinkable revolution in iran.
It was the modern history of iran between 1779 and 1982. The iranian revolution 1977 1979 download pdf version by stephen zunes april 2009. Edward said and the iranian revolution democratiya. Kennedy and the shah of iran article pdf available in the middle east journal 584. Both are difficult and tentative exercises, because irans islamic revolution appears to bear little ideological resemblance to revolutions in the west or to irans constitutional revolution of 190511. James buchan considers ahmed kasravi, historian of irans. This paper intends to explore the role and key contributions that ayatollah ruhollah played in the iranian revolution. Based on the scholarly literature, the study argues that it was only ruhollah. Americas population was not more than 4, 5 million at that time. Shah initiated his white revolution, a series of far reaching reforms intended to modernize and west ernize iran. The white revolution had caused so much hatred of the shah amongst the mullahs and the feudals which down the road, these groups along with bazaar drafted and established the everyday average religious and ignorant masses of the streets as an army of muslims to create an islamic revolution to bring down the complete system of the imperial iran.
Enqelabe sefid or the shah and people revolution persian. Keddie provides insightful commentary on the iraniraq war, the persian gulf war, and the effects of 911 and irans. Kennedy and the shah of iran, middle east journal, 58. Pdf the story of american relations with iran during the kennedy administration is one of misunderstandings and missed opportunities. The shah, fearing both soviet influence and internal opposition, sought to bolster. Denying reality the revolution in iran thrust islam into mainstream discourse in america. Charles kurzman has produced the definitive account of the islamic revolution.
While these reforms produced rapid economic growth, they also led to social dislocation, rapid. They started a movement and established a government. Pdf this paper intends to explore the role and key contributions that ayatollah ruhollah played in the. Iranian revolution, also called islamic revolution, persian enqelabe eslami, popular uprising in iran in 197879 that resulted in the toppling of the monarchy on february 11, 1979, and led to the establishment of an islamic republic. The author also discusses the impact of the revolution of 197879 on iranian bureaucracy. The white revolution of iran mohammed reza pahlavi. Khomeinis background, charisma, and thirst for revenge on those who inflicted personal injury. The revolution in iran is termed by the historians as one of the biggest historical event in the past.
Enqelabe shah o mardom was a farreaching series of reforms in iran launched in 1963 by the shah, mohammad reza pahlavi, which lasted until 1979. The postmosaddeq era and the shahs white revolution shah distibuting land deeds. They felt that he was modernizing and westernizing their country to a. The iranian revolution a history and analysis of the revolution in which socialists aligned themselves with islamists to overthrow the westbacked shah. The concept of exporting the islamic revolution derives from a particular worldview that perceives islamic revolution as the means whereby muslims and nonmuslims can liberate themselves from the oppression of tyrants who. James buchan considers ahmad kasravi, famed historian of irans democratic revolution, who first detailed the schism james buchan fri 26 jun 2009 19. The white revolution of iran mohammed reza pahlavi shah of iran imperial pahlavi library, 1967 history 177 pages.
T he islamic republic of iran that emerged from the revolution of 1979 has lasted quite well. The iranian revolution past, present and future brought the safavids into direct conflict with the ottoman empire and led to two centuries of intermittent warfare between those two powerful states. In 1961 the shah dissolved the 20th majles and cleared the way for the land reform law of 1962. The white revolution in iran saturday, april 20, 20 lisa reynolds wolfe. Understanding the differing meanings of iranian and persian learn about the bloody iraniraq war of 198088. His policy agenda was designed to achieve the following six goals. In 1961 the shah dissolved the 20th majles and cleared the way for the land reform. Khomeini, who later became the leader of the islamic revolution, reinterpreted the shia political thought and proposed a novel islamic theory of state. Situating itself within iranian political discourse, the concept retained an. The white revolution and the opposition 3 the family protection laws 4 adultery, rape, and prostitution in the penal code 141 women and labor legislation 145 5. Trustees of princeton university irans islamic revolution in comparative perspective authors. Ayatollah khomeini and the mobilization of dissent in the iranian. In this substantially revised and expanded version of nikki keddies classic workroots of revolution,the author brings the story of modern iran to the present day, exploring the political, cultural, and social changes of the past quarter century.
Iran having the islamic revolution in 1979 was the end of the old and start of the new. Certain figures such as the famous george washington and others came to power, but the same things that happened to the french revolution happened to the american revolution as well. Ruhollah khomeini ruhollah khomeini centre greeting supporters after returning to tehran, february 1979. The shah has publicly expressed his hope that the country will. Before introducing changes i want to present some information about methodology that i used during my researches. Muhammad reza shahs white revolution chapter 5 a history of. The iranian revolution was not only a godsend for those muslims who identified with its cause, it was also a blessing for those among the american left who saw it as a significant blow against the evil american empire. The period 196063 marked a turning point in the development of the iranian state. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data farazmand.
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