Modern History of the Arab World - Assignment Example

Name Course Tutor Date Modern History of the Arab World Executive summary This report will assess the Iranian Revolution in 1979, its perspectives in terms of historical, causes, political, economical and social factors. In the period of 1953 to 1963 there was much poverty amongst the Iranian citizens, while the gap between the poor and the rich grew wider. This is the time one of the big landowners Muhammad Reza Pahlavi got into power. Even though there was an economical growth during his reign, there was a lot opposition against him, and how he employed the Savak, the secret police take control of the nation. The Strong revolution led the country to come to a state of civil war led by the opposition, Ayatollah Khomeini (Smitha 4). Ayatollah messages were distributed by means of music cassettes which were duplicated and conveyed all around Iran. These happening mark the beginning of the Iranian revolution in 1979. Table of Contents Modern History of the Arab World 1 Executive summary 1 Table of Contents 2 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 History of the Iranian Revolution in 1979 3 3.0 The Rise of Ayatollah Khomeini 5 4.0 The revolution 6 5.0 General Causes of the revolution 7 6.0 Political factors that led to Iranian Revolution in 1979 8 7.0 Economic factors that led to Iranian Revolution in 1979 10 8.0 Social and Cultural concerns that led to Iranian Revolution in 1979 11 9.0 Conclusion 13 10.0 Works cited 14 1.0 Introduction According to Kurzman, revolution and wars are factors that are known to shape the political, economical and social landscape of countries (144). Unfortunately, even the most innocent people happen to die or affected for the sins they never committed. Revolution has different causes, but the most obvious is the political or economical instigation or when a community or a tribe rebel feel they have been marginalized for a long time from national cake (Kurzman 144). In a nutshell, if the members of that tribe or community believe that there is inequality in terms of wealth, economical and power distribution, then they may revolt. There are several revolutions that have happened over the past but most remembered are the French revolution, the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, The Cuban Revolution, Hungarian Revolution, Nicaraguan Revolution, Iraqi Revolution, American Revolution and Iranian Revolution in 1979 among others (Arif 2012). In light of this, this report will only assess the Iranian Revolution in 1979, its perspectives in terms of historical, causes, political, economical and social factors. 2.0 History of the Iranian Revolution in 1979 According to Satya, “the Iranian Revolution implies to occurrences leading to the overthrow of dynasty of Pahlavi under the leadership of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi who was allied to US, and his ultimately replacement by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who was the leader of and organizer of the revolution and supported by different Islamic, Iranian student movements and the leftist organizations” (208). Whilst the Soviet Union at first attempted to save the Shah's regime, they were the first to immediately recognize the Islamic Republic. Picture being a citizen of Iran or just living in that country in 1970. This was a great time of prosperity, boom and bust because of wealth from oil production. This affluence was however, overshadowed by the numerous failures in terms of socio-economic factors by the Shah (king). His greed and application of power unwisely made a platform for revolution. However, there were various events that led to culmination of the revolution. Smitha argues that way back before 1891 Shi'a clergy had a considerable influence on majority of the Iran citizens who had a tendency of being traditional, religious and also opposed to any practice of Westernization (3). The clergy initially showed to be a powerful force in the opposition politics to monarch of Iran with the boycott of Tobacco Protest in 1891 that in effect destroyed detested concession given by the Shah allowing a British company to have a monopoly over selling and buying tobacco in the country (Satya 209). Some decades after all these happenings, the clerics and monarchs clashed yet again, this time monarchs holding the control. The father of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Mr. Reza Shah, changed Islamic laws with the western laws, and banned Islamic clothing of traditional nature, separated sexes and banned women form wearing “hijab” (Satya 209). At this time, police were used to forcibly remove and tear chadors off ladies who opposed this ban on public. The dozens of people were killed and hundreds of people got injured when a “small” rebellion organized by pious Shi'a was crushed by police on monarchs order at the Shi'a shrine in Iran (ICS 3). Reza Shah was overthrown in 1941 and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi his son, was inaugurated by an allied Soviet troops and British troops. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi later fled the country following the democratic election of the nationalist Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeg. Since Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had a close ties with the west, the foreign powers consisting of American and the British aided Shah's and organized a military coup d'état with the intention of ousting Mohammad Mossadegh (Sabahi 2). Similar to his father's regime, the Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s regime was well recognized for its style of autocracy, its emphasis on Westernization and modernization and for its disrespect for religious. Kurzman posits that it is because of infringing of the Iranian constitution, political oppression and corruption by the secret police called the Savak that made the leftist, Islamist and Leftist, nationalist groups to attack the government frequently from outside country since they were contained within (145). By 1979, the platform was created by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who owing to his cunning history and political strategies was capable of using religion, trickery and politics to influence the citizen of Iran to oust Mohammad Reza Shah. 3.0 The Rise of Ayatollah Khomeini In 1963, The Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who was the Shia cleric initially rose to political fame during the time he led the opposition of Shah in the "White Revolution", in a plan to promote reforms for breaking up landholdings and enable religious minorities to also hold government positions. In the same year, Khomeini was seized following his declaration that Shah was a “wretched miserable man” who had a mission to destroy of the Islam in Iran (Hamidreza 208). Arif (2012) claims that following his arrest, there was three days of riots all over Iran, with the supporters of Khomeini claiming that 15,000 people were shot by the police. However, it was later reported that it was 380 people who were killed and few wounded. Khomeini was later released after serving eight months in his house arrest. Instead of being calm, he continued the agitation, condemnation of Iran's close ties with Israel, and Iran’s capitulations and diplomatic immunity extensions to American government (Kurzman 145). Khomeini was re-apprehended in 1964 and taken into exile in southern Iraq where he stayed for 15 years until the time of the revolution. 4.0 The revolution The time was now ripe for revolution. In 1977, under pressure and demands from the US once more, following the installation of Carter, the shah slowed down his power over the press a strategy that the opposition parties rapidly capitalize on (ICS 5). In this time of "disaffected calm" the growing Iranian revival started to challenge the Westernization idea as steps which were the foundation of the secular reign by Shah's, and to create the philosophy of the 1979 revolution. Jalal Al-e-Ahmad one of the Iranian thinker and political critic believed that the idea of Gharbzadegi; that embracing western cultural practices was an intoxication or plague that had to be eradicated (Hamidreza 210). Arif (2012) claims that another figure Ali Shariati, a sociologist, was influential with revelation of Islam as a true liberator from repressive colonialism and capitalism. Ex student, Morteza Motahhari's popularized the Shia faith and spread to their supporters all over Iran. The Shah was more and more irritated by the actions of Khomeini, who was getting popularity because of no-compromise stance towards the government. On January 1978, Mohammad Reza Shah ordered for publication of a defamatory article which Khomeini was accused of being a "British agent" and as a "mad Indian poet" who if given a chance could hand over Iran to the imperialist powers (Satya 210). On the same day, religious and hardliners students who were supporters of Khomeini started to protest in the Qom city. They walked down the streets of that city, venting their rage at the article insult to their leader, Khomeini. Smitha reports that “By January of 1979, notwithstanding the initial peaceful protests, some students stormed all over the city, setting fire to everything they observed as being "anti-Islamic", like the movie theaters, girls’ schools and restaurants among others” (7). The anti-riot police intervened employing batons, while the masses daring them to shoot. They eventually did killing 6 protesters; the crowed retaliated by killing 2 policemen. Khomeini announced that 70 individuals were "martyred" (Arif 2012). Rampage went with Khomeini preaching Islamic ideas and martyrdom. On February 1979, government radio station and buildings were apprehended by several youthful revolutionaries. Success was realized by the opposition to what they perceived as the Islam's fundamentals. Many people in the Middle East became excited concerning the formation of Islamic Republic by Khomeini (Hamidreza 211). 5.0 General Causes of the revolution Reasons put forth for the happening of the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and its nationalist, populist, and Shi'a Islamic nature consisted of a conservative hostile response towards the secularizing and Westernizing attempts of the Western-supported Shah Iran Chamber Society (ICS 4). The revolution was also caused by a liberal reaction to social injustice. There was also a rise in anticipations set by the 1973 oil returns bonus and an excessively ambitious economic plan, rage over a sharp, short, economic reduction in 1977/78 and other failures of the early régime. The Shah's government became progressively more brutal, corrupt, extravagant and oppressive. It also failed following fundamental functional collapse which resulted to economic shortages, bottlenecks, and inflation. Mohammad Reza Shah was seen by several people as indebted to and a puppet of anti-Muslim foreign powers, in particular the US whose cultural practices were believed to be affecting the Iran culture (Kurzman 144). All together, Shah’s support also waned amongst the Western media and politicians particularly under the government of Jimmy Carter due to the support Shah had for increases of OPEC petroleum prices earlier in that decade. The revolution changed the dominion of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi with Khomeini and Islamism, and is attributed partially to popularity of the Shia description of the Islamic renewal that resisted Westernization and view Khomeini as chasing the steps of imam Husayn ibn Ali. Other facets include the overlooking of the Islamist movement led by Khomeini's during Shah's reign; who regarded them as minor threat than that of the Islamic socialists and Marxists (Hamidreza 209). The rebellion was also fuelled by the secularist antagonists of the regime who considered that the Khomeinists must be sidelined. 6.0 Political factors that led to Iranian Revolution in 1979 Satya believes that one of the factors the created platform for revolution was the increased political ties with the foreign powers, mostly the US and the Britain (210). The Shah increased Iran's tie with the United States. Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi agreement with the west oil conglomerate annoyed several people, while some were infuriated by the presence of Americans in the country. Some Iranians citizens perceived the U.S. to have replaced the British. Arif (2012) contends that some disgruntled Muslims created an underground grouping known as Fedaiyan-e Islam. They attempted to gun down the Shah's prime minister. The Shah reacted by suppressing the Fedaiyan-e Islam and eliminating a few of their members. Following the coup d’etat in 1953 where the Shah with the aid of American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ousted the Prime Minister Mossadegh, and consequently for the Shah’s government to continuously depend on global support and oil exportation, it could not adequately claim nationalistic status as the Shah was regarded as the U.S lackey, and for that the Iranian administration lost an important aspect of a hegemonic principles (Kurzman 145). The government’s lacks of ability to set up the hegemonic ideology demonstrate that it was not capable of rationalizing and justifying its use of power and existence; additionally, it could not gather support for the policies by means of such ideology. Therefore, someone can think in this situation that the government is facing a situation in which its ideology is turning out to be increasingly unable to get along with the masses. Furthermore, the government’s plans of modernization results in rapid and strong social reforms which led to disorientation and normative disturbance because of the displacement of local political, economic, social, educational and legal institutions by the Western correspondents (Sabahi 5). Ultimately, the Shah was not able to rule by means balance of aggregate and situations. Smitha argues that Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi had depended on the army and police and his control on coercion to suppress anyone who was against him, particularly by use of the SAVAK, secret police (4). The monarchy cleared out the revolutions and the people who openly criticized the government itself and the policies (Sabahi 7). It is can also be noted that the elite considered as the ruling class most relied on their wealth and influence but since they used it badly, their coercive and domineering tactics began to fall and the population reacted with revolution. In addition, as Smitha (7) notes, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was basically weak and an indecisive person, and when unrest started in one of the Iran cities, the armed forces were unproductive since they had irresolute signals from Shah. With reference to elite, it can be seen that the Iran elites failed to fulfill promises to the population as a result leading to conditions that calls for the question of the legitimacy of the government setting the country set for revolution (Smith 7). The dangerous circumstance for political rulers and leaders exists when point of increasing expectations is accompanied by worsening in the government’s capability to fulfill those demands. Satya asserts that “This pressure can somehow rise if the government tries to acquire legitimacy by guaranteeing future success, and then establishes that it is has no ability to deliver” (209). 7.0 Economic factors that led to Iranian Revolution in 1979 According to Kurzman Iran’s radicals took over an economy that was struggling of considerable change and impressive growth (144). In not more than one century, the country had been changed from a small, primarily agricultural economy controlled by a weakening tribal reign into a modern unified state with a thriving manufacturing industry and a key role in global oil markets. There was a rapid economic growth and boom due to the rise in the oil charges in the 1960’s and early 1970s (Hamidreza 212). Nevertheless, oil crisis rocked the Iranian market and led to a recession in 1973. Inflation increased to double-digit together with a 10 percent rate of unemployment which resulted in what economists called stagflation (Satya 209). The decline in global demand for Iran oil implied a contraction in the country’s oil revenues, the impact being that to control inflation and settle down the economy, the government holds back on construction and development and a large part of projects had to be stopped. A lot of this change took place over the rule of Pahlavi dynasty that sought state-guided modernization replica after Turkey’s Kemal Ataturk policies (Kurzman 145). Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi began an extensive program which consisted of infrastructure development, sweeping land reforms and vast investments in the nation’s industrial base in the 1960s. Iran’s wealth went up even more considerably following the explosive increase in oil costs in the 1970s, assisting fuel the shah’s extravagant ambitions to surpass the German and French economies Iran Chamber Society (ICS 6). However, the Pahlavi economic plan created rapid increase, but these reforms also isolated significant constituencies, comprising of the landlords, merchants and clergy. Besides, inflation concerns going by the level the pace and scope of development resulted to hardships for several Iranians. Economic injustices helped incite opposition against the monarchy, and opposition leaders like Ayatollah Khomeini voiced their concerns regarding the poor and it’s gradually more pressed middle class. This modernization government "pressed aside" the business class and compelled poorer agricultural laborers to turn to "migrant workers" in urban centers (Arif 2012). The civil servants salaries remained fixed, and inflation concerns lowered their living standards. The government of the day handled the boom of economic oil badly and extravagantly used the money on needless projects, hence blaming the poor agricultural class for its economic failures. 8.0 Social and Cultural concerns that led to Iranian Revolution in 1979 In 2006 Hamidreza claimed that at one point the Shah used $100,000 million on an Iranian monarchy celebration and most of the Iranians thought this was disrespectful looking at how poverty was increasing among the citizens (211). In 1976, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi had embarked on changing of Iran's calendar which was an Islamic calendar and replacing it with one referred to as Shahanshah (ICS 5). The new calendar led to confusion and became offensive to the Muslims. One of the Iranian political critics, Ahmad Jalal published an article, which condemned Iran's simulation of the Western culture and received numerous supporters. Under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi regime, secret police called Savak were created to put check on people who were opposing the government oppression (Sabahi 4). This form of police unit was also used by Shah’s government to ensure that banning the Muslim women from putting on “hijab” is followed to the letter. The Shah actions as it relates to foreign policies with the US, it created ruthless opposition that resulted in the ultimate revolution, since many Iranian citizens criticized the Shah’s efforts at westernization and his discarding of the past regime. The reforms like the “The White Revolution”, formed by Shah to strengthen those who were for traditional system was supported by several people even though others thought the changes did not make fundamental contributions to the needed socio-economic amends (Hamidreza 215). According to Hamidreza, these reforms also held many unfavorable effects on farmers such as being compelled to shift to poverty stricken cities since they were not able to maintain their lands; several educated citizens were told to go to the villages, however with no proper infrastructure the Iranian were not able to meet their goals, and went back home with condemnation to the Shah’s government (211). The Shah’s broad disapproval emerged from conservatives who detested his radical changes and effort to reform the social arrangement of the nation, even though the disapproval gathered all over Iran as time changes because of the oppressive situation brought about by the Shah’s government. Kurzman challenges that this general discontent from the Iranian citizens caused them to look for change, therefore opting for the Iranian Revolution in 1979 (145). 9.0 Conclusion The eventual event of the revolution is still recounting. The Iranian Revolution, or maybe the more appropriately referred to as the Islamic Revolution, were considered the most observable instance at the period of what turned out to be a move in the Middle East in the direction of Islamism or fundamentalism. Regimes of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in Iran perceive Islam as an obstacle that destabilized progress. But frequently, the nature of this secularly inclined modernization and westernization did not give average Iran citizens the wealth they needed. They average population, for a time with assistance of religious expression, started to witness this "development as an obstacle to their success. Islamism emphasizes a strict devotion to the Qur'an and Sharia teachings. Following what people saw as a failure of westernization endeavors, the populace needed a get back to the roots. The Ayatollah appropriately read and interpreted the signs of disillusionment with the shah's unbalanced "reforms and snatched the opportunity to unite politics, a bit of trickery and religion, and to guide a victorious revolution in opposition to the shah's government. 10.0 Works cited Arif, Muhammad. The Iranian Revolution and the contribution of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. May 2012. Nov. 2013. http://www.afghanjc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Iranian- revolution.pdf Hamidreza, Jalaeipour. “Iran’s Islamic Revolution: Achievements and Failures”, Critique: Critical Middle Eastern Studies, Intelligence Consultant Namibia, 15 (2012): 207-215. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. http://intelliconn.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/explaining-the- iranian-revolution/ Iran Chamber Society (ICS). “Islamic Revolution of 1979”. Iran Chamber, 24 Oct. 2007. 1-7 Web. 21 Nov. 2010. Accessed on 20th Nov 2013 http://www.iranchamber.com/history/islamic_revolution/islamic_revolution.php Kurzman, Charles. Iranian Revolution. Intelligence Consultant Namibia, Presented by www.ziaraat.com 2012. 144–5. Print. Accessed on 20th Nov 2013 http://www.ziyaraat.net/books/IranianRevolution.pdf Sabahi, Farian. “The Literacy Corps in Pahlavi Iran, 1963-1979”. ISIM Newsletter. 10.1: (2002).1-7. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/16796/ISIM_10_The_Literacy_C orps_in_Pahlavi_Iran_1963-1979.pdf?sequence=1 Satya, J. Gabriel. “Class Analysis of the Iranian Revolution in 1979. In: J.K. Gibson-Graham, Stephen Resnick, Richard Wolff Re/presenting Class: Essays in Postmodern Marxism”. United State of America: Duke University Press, 2001. 208-210. Print. Accessed on 20th Nov 2013 https://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/sgabriel/iran.htm Smitha. E. Frank. “The Iranian Revolution”. MacroHistory and the World Timeline. 20 Feb. 1998.3-9.Web. 20 Nov. 2013. Accessed on 20th Nov 2013 http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch29ir.html Read More