Iranian Revolution

There were many factors that lead to the Iranian revolution of the 1970s, and it had a lasting impact on the Middle East as we know it today. The revolution showed the world what could happen when a nation is fed up with a leader who’s been, from the people’s perspective, ‘bought’ by the western world. Revolutions have happed all throughout history, but the revolution in Iran was unique, because it was the first one where a leader who was backed by the West had been defeated. Key sources for this analysis include Dr. Andrew Wender’s lecture, two articles by Ervand Abrahamian, as well as an article named The Middle East and Islamic World Reader. What lead to the turmoil in Iran? One key factor was the role played by British and American governments
in how Iran was run. Dr. Wender covered Iranian leaders from the years leading up to the revolution. These leaders were those who were trying to modernize the country, and maintained close relationships with Western leaders, something that lead to unpopular decisions. Such an example is when Americans in the embassy in Iran were granted diplomatic immunity, despite the protests of the general population that it gave foreigners more rights than the country’s own citizens. Wender also pointed out that the American plot to overthrow the elected leader that they didn’t like further angered the Iranians. Mohammed Mossadeq was attempting to nationalize the Iranian oil industry, a booming sector that was paying out big money to Western countries, a move that, unsurprisingly, angered western governments in general, mainly the United States and Great Britain. This unrest built up until, in 1979, the Shah fled. But how did the revolution succeed, and how is Iran still intact today?
Abrahamian focuses on this side of the event. Abrahamian explains that many simply didn’t believe the Islamic Republic would survive, as well as shares four common misconceptions regarding how the republic survived, including the Iran-Iraq war, the oil industry, reigns of terror, and the strength of Shi’ism as a religion. The survival is due to economic and social populism, in particular social welfare programs, the author claims. He also states that for the most part, the Iranians have been successful in their quest to improve their country, through policies regarding poverty reduction, education rights, and medical availability for citizens. These successful advancements, according to Abrahamian, have led to a healthier, more educated population with, on the average, more money in their pockets. However, in a different article, Abrahamian tells a different story, though not a conflicting one. In Democracy or Theocracy: Iran’s Islamic Republic, Iran is described as a theocracy which enforced Sharia Law, a system that used brutal punishments such as amputations and stonings to keep the population in line. Abrahamian also points out that non-Muslims and women were and still are considered inferior to Muslim males. So while both articles have some common ground, the introduction of Sharia Law seems to contradict the claim that the quality of life and Iranian society as a whole got
better. The life, achievements, and importance of Ayatollah Khomeini was the focus of Dr. Wender’s lecture. Wender covered Khomeini’s past, from his early days of teaching in Qom, during the 1950s, to his speeches against the Shah. Khomeini was a firm believer that Iran should be led by a religious leader, rather than the Shah who was getting too comfortable with the West, and made his opinions very clear, which ultimately got him kick out of Iran for many years. In 1979, he returned to lead the revolution. Dr. Wender put an emphasis on Khomeini’s intentions to put religious leading in power in government, as well as his strong dislike for Western ways. We know how angry Khomeini felt towards the West; his speeches and other writings are still around to be read today. One powerful quote extracted from his 1964 speech is as follows: “Do you know that the Majles, pressured by the government has quietly signed a treaty with America enslaving Iran, colonizing Iran, and even asserting that our Muslim nation is barbarous?” Khomeini was indisputably upset: his country had almost become an extension of another, with The Americans holding such a tremendous amount of power in not only government, but also commerce and industry. In conclusion, the Iranian revolution shaped the modern Middle Eastern country of Iran, as well as its neighbours in a way that took the control from the Western nations that held such a strong position, and put the power of the nation back into the hands of the people. This revolution and the establishment of a successful theocracy in the 20th century had a huge impact on the perception of modernization and modern societies. The United States also experienced one of its closest allies being taken over in a swift and almost surreal fashion, and turning against it after Khomeini took power. This revolution had a huge and lasting impact on Iran and the world, and it truly is a major turning point in history for everyone who was involved and who continue to be involved.