Iranian Political Culture

1. Iranian Political Culture

2. Political Cleavages • Religion • Ethnicity • Social Class • Reformers vs. Conservatives

3. Religion • 89% of Iranians are Shi’a Muslims • 10% are Sunni Muslim • The constitution does not mention Sunnis and their legal status is therefore unclear • 1% are a combination of Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and Baha’i • Constitution recognizes rights of religious minorities, many religious minorities have left country since Islamic Revolution • Baha’i considered unholy offshoot of Islam and they have been persecuted by Shi’ite governments. • Baha’i leaders have been executed, imprisoned, tortured, their schools closed and property confiscated

4. Ethnicity • 51% Persian (speak Farsi) • 24% Azeri • Live mostly in the northwest close to Azerbaijan, this causes tension with Iranian government worried that Azeri may want to unite part of Iranian territory with Azerbaijan • Azeri do not speak Farsi, but they are mostly Shi’ite, Ali Khameini was Azeri • 8% Gilaki & Mazandarani • 7% Kurds • Predominantly Sunni • 3% Arabic • Predominantly Sunni

5. Social Class • Peasantry and middle class support Islamic regime • Benefited from government social programs. • Provided electricity & paved roads • Strong support for Ahmadinejad • Middle & Upper-middle class largely secularized • Critical of clerics • Have not fared well economically under the Republic • Supportive of reformist candidates

6. Political Culture • Authoritarianism (not totalitarianism) – leaders claim to be all powerful, but do not interfere with every aspect of the citizens lives • Union of political & religious authority • Shi’ism & Sharia – key components of everyday life • Geographic Limitations – limited arable land forced expansion through military conquest, population of Iran unevenly distributed in cities and northwestern part of country • Influence of Ancient Persia and colonial past

7. Legitimacy of Modern State • Revolution of 1979 • Charismatic legitimacy of Ayatollah Khomeini • Legitimacy attached to principles of Shi’ism • Constitution of 1979 and amendments of 1989

8. Women & the Political System • When shari’a law is interpreted narrowly women are considered wards of their male relatives • “Equality-with-difference” policy – instituted by the Islamic Republic slants law favorably towards men on issues such as divorce and custody • Women must wear scarves and long coats in public • Women cannot leave country without consent of male relatives • Occasionally women stoned for committing adultery

9. Women & the Political System II • Women allowed to get education in Iran and entrance into some occupations • Expectations for better jobs and increased political rights among educated women • Half of college students in Iran are women • Women make up 27% of the labor force • Women are still largely underrepresented in every area of government in Iran