The Iran Revolution: Background, Politics, Characters

Solution Preview

Dear Student,
Hi and thank you for suing Brainmass. In this particular task, you are being asked to put together 10-page material on the Iranian revolution. Essentially, you are to chart the causes of the revolution, background, characters, economic situation, political elements and impact of same. How should you do this? For a 10-page material, you need to at least have 2,000 words. I think this is enough to cover what you need. Now, I suggest using this outline:

1. Introduction - 200 words - what is this paper about and its limitations.
2. History & Causes 1970-1977 background events - 300 words
3. About the Ayatollah: his ideology, his role, the groups he influences - 200 words
4. The Outbreak of the Revolution - 300 words
5. The Fall of the Shah - 200 words
6. Impact of the Fall (casualties, social) - 300 words
7. Khomeini's power - 200 words
8. Economic & Political impact - 300 words

This should provide you with the 2000 words you need. I have provided you with key information that will be useful to you below. All the Best with your studies.

Sincerely,
AE 105878/Xenia Jones
-------------------------------------

On the Iran Revolution

Iran- also known as the Islamic Republic of Iran is home to one of the greatest human civilizations of the ancient times - Persia. Its former dynasties - the Seleucids, the Parthians and the Sasanids created an Empire that determined the faith not just of the region, but also of ancient Greek and Rome. Modern-day Iran is said to have originated from the 1500's when the Safavid Dynasty established political unity and redrew the boundaries of 'Persia' from the ruins of the Timurid dynasty which had its origins from Hulagu Khan - Genghis Khan's grandson. The Safavid Dynasty created a religious socio-political structure based on Shia Islam, enforcing what was a predominantly Sunni population into conversion. The Safavid Dynasty rose to become a Middle-Easter power rivaling the Sunni Ottoman Empire of Turkey and was often at war with them. A succession of Shah & Khans ruled Iran, surviving the 'Great Game' of colonialism that played out in the Russo-Persian wars and the Anglo-Persian wars, but losing a sizable amount of its territory. The 1925 Shah, Reza Khan gained power by overthrowing a weakened dynasty due to his military background. It was Reza Shah who initiated industrialization in Iran. He passed on power to his favourite son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Much of the power in Iran from this point was in the hands of Westernized or Western-educated Persians, who has ties with the west politically, socially and economically. The 1953 US-UK plot Operation Ajax which led to the fall of then Iran PM Mohammad Mosaddegh - a popular, democratically elected figure. It gave the Shah power to control much of the nation's infrastructure giving him autocracy through his intelligence agency SAVAK. While he industrialized he also ostracized his people and any or all of the oppositions which led to the then Ayatollah - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini - to become an open critic. These were part of the main seeds that led to the Iranian Revolution. This paper will look at particular elements of the Revolution that brought out the Iran we know today.

Background, History, Causes

Having gone through background information above, let's go through further details and causes. The Iranian Revolution began in earnest in January 1978, culminating in January 1979. It overthrew the autocratic Pahlavi Dynasty under Mohamed Reza Pahlavi and was replaced by what we now have come to know as the Islamic Republic under the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini - the leader of the Revolution. The revolution established Iran as a Theocratic Republic. This means that while there is an ...