<p>What is the main message of Revolutionary Iran?</p>

<p>Revolutionary Iran provides a comprehensive understanding of Iran's history, politics, and society.</p>

History

Revolutionary Iran Book Summary - Revolutionary Iran Book explained in key points

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Revolutionary Iran summary

Name: Revolutionary Iran
Rating: 4 (68 reviews)
Author: Michael Axworthy

Michael Axworthy

A History of the Islamic Republic

4 (68 ratings)

27 mins

Brief summary

'Revolutionary Iran' by Michael Axworthy is an insightful historical account of Iran's tumultuous journey from 1979 revolution to present-day. It examines the ramifications of the revolution and its impact on the country's political, social and economic structure.

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Democracy Islam

Table of Contents

Revolutionary Iran
Summary of 9 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 9

What’s in it for me? Discover the modern political history of the majestic, yet volatile, Iran.

The nation of Iran is an ancient one. For many centuries, it was called “Persia” in the West. The country has been the home of several empires, too, from the sixth century BCE right up to the twentieth century. These autocratic dynasties ruled over Iran for hundreds of years, but democracy, along with a host of other political ideologies, influenced the nation in the early twentieth century. Change was on the horizon, but it wasn’t entirely clear where that change would take the country.

For most people, it’s hard to understand exactly how Iran ended up as a simultaneously democratic and theocratic Islamic state after the 1979 revolution. And it’s even more perplexing these days, with Iran increasingly being held up as a pariah state by the Trump administration. In circumstances like these, it’s a great idea to be informed about Iranian history, and few people are better equipped to shed light on the subject than Michael Axworthy.

These blinks examine the formative period of Iranian democracy so you can get a clear understanding of the twentieth-century history of this thoroughly modern, and globally significant, nation.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

how a poetry reading signalled a full-blown revolution was on its way;
methods to keep your grip on power if you’re leading a revolution; and
a bundle of details about the Iranian constitution.

The foundations of the 1970 Iranian revolution were laid at the start of the twentieth century.

Iran, though an ancient nation, was no less vulnerable than younger countries to the upheavals and revolutionary atmosphere of the early twentieth century. And so, in 1905, when faced with economic instability, Iran felt the first stirrings of civil unrest. Demonstrators soon took to the streets.

Things soon escalated when, in July 1906, police killed a theology student at a rally. This led to further protests and the deaths of 22 more people. The situation culminated in mass strikes and vocal denunciation of the country’s monarch, Mozaffar od-Din Shah.

It was clear that the Shah would have to cave. On August 5, he accepted one of the protestors’ main demands and issued an order that an Iranian national assembly should be established. In October 1906, the Majles convened for the first time.

The Majles set about swiftly drafting a constitution, which was ratified by the Shah on December 30, just five days before he died of a serious illness. It confirmed that the Shah’s sovereignty was given by the people, not by God, and that this power had been given in trust. It also declared Shi’ia Islam as the state religion and established a committee of Iranian clergy, ulema, to review legislation passed by the Majles.

This legislation represented a political victory, but the revolutionary momentum that had ushered them into law was already dwindling.

By 1908, the ulema were turning against constitutionalism; they regarded new reforming legislation as a threat to their traditional authority. The Shah’s successor, his son Mohammad Ali Shah, was equally skeptical of the Majles. In 1908, set on a return to absolute monarchy and with the backing of the ulema, Mohammad Ali staged a military coup.

Though he met with success in Tehran, he failed elsewhere. The revolutionaries successfully countered, and, in 1909, the Shah was forced into exile. His young son Ahmad succeeded to the throne. The constitutionalists were back in control.

But these changes didn’t solve the country’s deeper problems – political polarization and a dangerously out-of-control revolution. The country was descending into complete disorder; assassinations were common on both sides.

Then, in December 1911, conservative factions in the cabinet staged what amounted to a successful coup and the Majles was dismissed. It seemed to everyone that the revolution had been stopped dead in its tracks. However, the seeds for later revolutionary changes had been sown.

The founding of the Pahlavi dynasty had significant repercussions.

In 1908, a British venture managed to identify the first commercially viable oil source in the Middle East – southwest Iran. Thanks to this knowledge, the British became the dominant foreign power in the country by 1920.

But not all was rosy. The British were also overstretched and had an eye on getting out. It was in this colonial climate that the British senior commander, General Ironside, promoted an Iranian soldier, Reza Khan, and gave him a brigade to lead. Ironside was clear: if Khan were to stage a military coup in Tehran, the British would let him do it. And in 1921, Khan did exactly that.

By the late 1970s, conditions for an Iranian revolution had reached a head.

By the 1970s, Iran had undergone tremendous growth, in large part due to the booming oil industry. But cracks were beginning to show and inequality and corruption were endemic. The new Shah – Reza Shah’s son, Mohammad Reza Shah – was facing international pressure; his regime’s human-rights record was abysmal.

As a result, the regime began to relax its grip. And, consequently, this move away from repression created openings for political opposition.

The 1979 Iranian revolution swiftly toppled the monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.

In 1979, Iran was once more ripe for revolution. The previous year had been characterized by protests; demonstrators had railed against economic inequalities, political repression and the Shah's autocratic behavior.

The return of Ruhollah Khomeini to Iran, on February 1, 1979, indicated that change was imminent.

The events that immediately followed the revolution shaped the country for years to come.

The fall of the Shah had happened relatively quickly, but the disorder that followed was to last for years. In particular, the few months after the revolution would define the very essence of the new Islamic Republic.

Many people were thrilled at the changes within the country, but the situation was nonetheless chaotic and strenuous.

In the early 1980s, the Islamic Republic faced severe internal strife.

In the post-revolution aftermath, Iran was still trying to find its footing. At the same time, there were other major challenges to be dealt with.

Neighboring Iraq sensed Iran’s weakness and invaded in 1980. An eight-year war followed. Meanwhile, internal struggles in Iran could not be quelled. Already by 1981, Khomeini was at serious odds with the Islamic Republic’s first president, Abolhassan Bani-Sadr. Bani-Sadr was stripped of his post and forced into hiding.

The Iranian constitution was altered once again in 1989.

February 1989 marked the tenth anniversary of the 1979 revolution and Iran’s leader, Khomeini, was seriously ill. His grip on the country had been strong, and it was clear that his passing would usher in a new phase of the Islamic Republic.

Khomeini had been struggling with cancer and heart disease for some time, but his sudden deterioration required that a successor be found at once. What’s more, there were other serious matters to resolve. For instance, Iran had three leaders in positions of authority: a supreme leader, a president and a prime minister. it was an awfully crowded field and political factionalism only caused further gridlock.

In the late 1990s, a new intellectual movement emerged to underpin political and social reform.

Since the very foundation of the Islamic Republic, in 1979, conversations about political reform were common. But it wasn’t until the late 1990s that one particular ideology became increasingly influential.

A new religious movement was on the rise. Its reformist arguments held that, in the existing system, there was room for religion and politics to complement each other better.

The 2009 Iranian presidential elections produced a shocking and weird result.

Ahmadinejad’s election to president in 2005 came to be seen by many Iranians as a mistake.

Consequently, public support and enthusiasm coalesced around opposition candidate Mir Hosein Musavi. And it only grew as the 2009 presidential elections neared. But, in a shocking result, the incumbent Ahmadinejad was re-elected by a healthy margin on June 12, 2009.

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What is Revolutionary Iran about?

Revolutionary Iran (2013) tells the story of modern Iran, from the early twentieth-century origins of the 1979 revolution through to reactions to Ahmadinejad’s second presidential victory, in 2009. The book also dispels misconceptions and examines internal politics and cultural debates within the country.

Revolutionary Iran Review

Revolutionary Iran (2014) by Michael Axworthy is a captivating exploration of Iran's history, politics, and society that shouldn't be missed. Here's why this book is definitely worth reading:

Featuring a wealth of in-depth research and expert analysis, it provides a comprehensive understanding of Iran's revolution and its implications on the global stage.
Axworthy's nuanced perspective allows readers to grasp the complexities of Iran's political landscape without oversimplification, creating a rich and insightful reading experience.
The book's engaging narrative and storytelling make it a page-turner, keeping readers hooked and proving that history doesn't have to be dull.

Who should read Revolutionary Iran?

Students of contemporary global politics
Curious minds wanting to know more about contemporary Iranian history
Followers of the Middle East interested in understanding the relationship between religion and democracy

About the Author

Michael Axworthy is the author of two other books dealing with Iranian history, The Sword of Persia and Iran: Empire of the Mind. From 1998 to 2000, he was the head of the Iran Section of the British Foreign Office. He became a research fellow at the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of Durham in December 2001, and he is now Senior Lecturer and Director of the Centre for Persian and Iranian Studies at the University of Exeter.

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