The Role of the Legitimacy Crisis in the Fall of the Second Pahlavi Regime

Shokraneh Arzanaghi, Omid; AKHAVAN KAZEMI, Masoud

doi:20.1001.1.23222573.1400.10.1.3.3

The Role of the Legitimacy Crisis in the Fall of the Second Pahlavi Regime

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

omid shokraneh arzanaghi ¹

Masoud AKHAVAN KAZEMI ²

¹ Master of Sociology of the Islamic Revolution-Razi University

² Department of Political Science- RAZI University

https://doi.org/20.1001.1.23222573.1400.10.1.3.3

Abstract

Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the factors influencing the fall of the Pahlavi government in order to analyze this event from different angles. The present study has tried to specifically assess the impact of the legitimacy crisis on the fall of the second Pahlavi regime from the perspective of "crisis theory". Accordingly, the main question of the research is, what was the role of the legitimacy crisis in the fall of the Pahlavi regime and the victory of the revolution. The findings of the study indicate that the Pahlavi regime tried to legitimize its sovereignty over Iranian society by relying on the principles of legitimacy such as the traditional monarchy of ancient Iran, the constitution, the army and military power, religious symbols, etc. At the same time, the authoritarian structure of the Pahlavi regime, the struggle against Iranian culture and authentic Islamic traditions, the intervention of foreign powers and lack of independence, reliance on force and repressive apparatus, restrictions on political participation, and acting as a rentier state led the Pahlavi regime to face a crisis of legitimacy. Not only did the Pahlavi regime fail to successfully resolve the crisis of legitimacy, but its wrongdoing exacerbated the crisis and widened the gap between the government and the people, calling into question its legitimacy and ultimately paving the way for its collapse. The research method is descriptive-analytical and causal. The data collection method in this research is library and documentary.

Keywords

Crisis Theory

Lucien Pye

Development

Legitimacy

Pahlavi Government

20.1001.1.23222573.1400.10.1.3.3

Adibi, Hossein. 1358. The new middle class in Iran. Tehran: Society Publications.
Stempel, John D. 2015. Inside the Iranian Revolution. Translated by Manouchehr Shojaei. Tehran: Rasa.
Scotchpool, Theda. 1382. "The Rentier State and Shiite Islam in the Iranian Revolution". Translated by Mohammad Taghi Delfrooz, Strategic Studies Quarterly 6(19): pp. 119-141.
Afzali, Rasool. 2008. Two political-geographical systems in Iran (modern state-Islamic state). Tehran: Tehran University Press.
Imam Jumezadeh, Seyyed Javad and Seyyed Davoud Masoumi. 1389. "Rentiarism and its effect on the relationship between the government and parties in Iran (1357-1330)". Contemporary Political Essays 1(1): pp. 33-49.
Amirzadeh, Mohammad Reza and Majid Behestani. 2013. "Investigation of identity politics in contemporary Iran". Majlis and Strategy 21(77): pp. 71-106.
Abadian, Hossein 1383. The last two decades of Pahlavi rule. Tehran: Institute of Political Studies and Research.
Abrahamian, Yervand. 1982. Iran between two revolutions. Translated by Ahmed Golmohammadi and Ebrahim Fatahi. 1377. Tehran: Ney Publishing.
Ashouri, Dariush. 1344. Political encyclopedia (dictionary of terms and political schools), Tehran: Marvarid.
Almond, Gabriel Abraham. 2016. A theoretical framework for investigating comparative politics. Translated by Alireza Tayeb. Tehran: Government Education and Management Center.
Bashiriyah, Hossein. 2014. Obstacles to political development in Iran. Tehran: New step.
Beetham, David and Boyle Kevin. 2018. What is democracy? Translated by Shahram Naqsh Tabrizi. Tehran: Phoenix.
Pai, Lucin and others. 1380. Crises and sequences in political development. Translated by Gholamreza Khaje Sarvi. Tehran: Strategic Studies Research Institute.
Haji Yousefi, Amir Mohammad. 2018. Government, oil and economic development in Iran. Tehran: Center for Islamic Revolution Documents.
Haji Yousefi, Amir Mohammad. 2017. "Government and economic development in Iran". Strategic Studies Quarterly 1(1): pp. 179-206.
Hosseinizadeh, Seyyed Mohammad Ali. 2019. Political Islam in Iran. Qom: Mofid University Press.
Hosseini, Maryam Al Sadat. 2017. "Contemporary Iran: Relying on Tanks (Review of the Imperial Army's Structure and the Reasons for Its Inability in the Face of the Islamic Revolution)". Zamaneh Monthly 77: pp. 62-68.
Hosseinian, Rooh Elah. 1383. Fourteen years of Shiite ideological competition in Iran 1343-1356. Tehran: Islamic Revolution Documentation Center.
Khomeini, Rooh Elah. 1369. Noor Book (Vol. 3). Tehran: Organization of Cultural Documents of the Islamic Revolution.
Greetings, Reyhane. 2014. Darbar according to Darbar: political corruption. Tehran: Center for Islamic Revolution Documents.
Deldam, Iskandar. 1372. The life and memories of Amir Abbas Hoyda. Tehran: Gulfam Publishing.
Deshyar, Hossein. 1386. The political and social developments of Iran from 1342 to 1357. In the political and social developments of Iran (1357-1320) by Mojtaba Maqsoodi. Tehran: Rozeneh.
Rahmat Elahi, Hossein and Seyed Shahabuddin Mousavizadeh. 2018. "The role of the new middle class in the democratic demands of the Pahlavi period". Iranian Journal of Sociology 12(4): pp. 36-3.
Rafipour, Faramarz. 1377. Development and conflict, an effort to analyze the Islamic revolution and Iran's social issues. Tehran: Publishing Company.
Zare, Abbas. 1379. "Crisis of Legitimacy in the Origin of the Constitutional Movement and the Islamic Revolution of Iran". Political Science 3(12): pp. 161-188.
Zahid Zahidani, Seyed Saeed. 1380. Baha'ism in Iran. Tehran: Center for Islamic Revolution Documents.
Abbaszadeh Marzbali, Majid. 2014. "The structure of personal government and its role in the legitimacy crisis of the second Pahlavi regime". Historical Studies Quarterly No. 47 and 48: pp. 108-79.
Abbaszadeh Marzbali, Majid. 2017. "The structure of authoritarian government and its role in the spread of conspiracy illusions in the second Pahlavi era". Politics Quarterly 5(18): pp. 71-90.
Azimi Dolatabadi, Omid. 1379. An attractive revolution. Tehran: Amir Kabir Publishing House.
Ayouzi, Mohammad Rahim. 1382. Theories of power building and the second Pahlavi regime. Tehran: Center for Islamic Revolution Documents.
Fazli, A. 1378. "Political participation in Iran; Theoretical aspects and background in Iran" from the book Tehzb in Iran. Tehran: Hamshahri Publications.
Falahi, Majid. 1389. "Study of the five crises of political development in relation to the Islamic Republic of Iran". Supervisor: Masoud Akhwan Kazemi. Master's thesis. Tehran: Razi University.
Ghasemi, ruler. 1387. "Structural factors of the inefficiency of the imperial army in preventing the fall of the royal system".
Qawam, Abdul Ali. 1371. Political development and administrative transformation. Tehran: Qoms Publishing.
Certificate, Abdul Rahim. 2018. "Pahlavi's dependence on foreign powers". Institute of Contemporary Studies and Research. Accessed on 2/11/2018. https://psri.ir/?id=f2sddjhk.
Lotfian, Saida. 1380. Iran's army and Islamic revolution. Tehran: Center for Islamic Revolution Documents.
Mohammad Salehi, Ali. 1375. "Investigation of the issue of legitimacy in Pahlavi II government (1320-57)". Supervisor: Kavos Seyyed Emami. Master's thesis. Tehran: Imam Sadegh University.
Espionage nest document publishing center, 1367. The collection of documents of the espionage nest in Iran, from the rise to the fall. Tehran: Nest of Spy Documents Publishing Center.
GPA, Mansour. 2012. Class, politics and ideology in the revolution. Translated by Mohammad Salar Kasraei. Tehran: Islamic and Iran Research Center.
Malekan, Majid. 1376. "Political culture of ruling elites and political pluralism in Iran (1357-1332). Supervisor: Kavos Seyyed Emami. Master's thesis. Tehran: Imam Sadegh University (AS).
Manzoor Al Ajdad, Mohammad Hossein. 1379. Reference in the field of society and politics. Tehran: Shiraz.
Vakili, Mohammad Ali. 1381. Economic crisis and political legitimacy. Voice of Justice magazine, 20/9/2013.
Halliday, Fred. 1358. Dictatorship and development of capitalism in Iran. Translated by Fazullah Nik Ayin. Tehran: Amir Kabir Publishing House.
Homayun Katoozian, Mohammad Ali. 1382. Political economy of Iran. Translated by Mohammad Reza Nafisi and Kambiz Azizi. Tehran: Center Publishing.
Mahdavy, Hussein (1970), "The Pattern and Problems of Economic Development in Rentier State: The Case of Iran", in M.A Cook, Studies in Economic History of The Middle East, London: Oxford University Press.