IRANIAN IRANIAN REVOLUTIONREVOLUTION

MONARCHY TO THEOCRACY,MONARCHY TO THEOCRACY,

SHAH TO AYATOLLAHSHAH TO AYATOLLAH

SHAH OF IRANSHAH OF IRAN•Mohammad Reza Mohammad Reza

Pahlavi (1919 – Pahlavi (1919 – 1980)1980)

•Promised Promised constitutional constitutional monarchymonarchy– Increasingly Increasingly took power took power from PMfrom PM

GAINED POWERGAINED POWER• (Replaced father, (Replaced father,

Reza Pahlavi Reza Pahlavi –Forced to Forced to abdicateabdicate

–By Britain & By Britain & USSR USSR

–Friendly Friendly relations with relations with Nazi Germany)Nazi Germany)

““KING OF KINGS”KING OF KINGS”

•Crowned himself:Crowned himself:–Emperor Emperor –In 1967In 1967–Also crowned Also crowned his wife: his wife: empressempress

– (Note: Peacock Throne->)(Note: Peacock Throne->)

LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP STYLESTYLE• ManipulationManipulation

• Built loyal army Built loyal army • Expansion of Expansion of

constitutional powersconstitutional powers– After assassination After assassination

attemptattempt– 19491949

• Secret police: Secret police: “SAVAK”: “SAVAK”: – Suppressed opponentsSuppressed opponents

• Helped rich at Helped rich at expense of poorexpense of poor

WHITE WHITE REVOLUTIONREVOLUTION•Reform policiesReform policies

–Land reformLand reform•Some land taken from religious Some land taken from religious leadersleaders

•= no income for them= no income for them–Voting rights to womenVoting rights to women–Elimination of illiteracyElimination of illiteracy

•Generally positive impact: on Generally positive impact: on somesome–Resented by religious leadersResented by religious leaders

COLD WARCOLD WAR•Ally of the WestAlly of the West–Not USSR: bordering Not USSR: bordering nationnation

•Oil deal with U.S.Oil deal with U.S.–Opponents critical of Opponents critical of subservience to USsubservience to US

INCREASED INCREASED OPPOSITIONOPPOSITION

• From Shi’ite Muslims From Shi’ite Muslims Western moderization:Western moderization:

•Western clothingWestern clothing•Eliminated Qur’anic Eliminated Qur’anic oaths Lack of democracyoaths Lack of democracy

– Unresponsive to public Unresponsive to public opinionopinion

– Uneven distribution of Uneven distribution of wealth wealth

– Land reformLand reform

INCREASED INCREASED DISCONTENTDISCONTENT

•In 1970’sIn 1970’s•Islamic clerics, esp. Ayatollah Islamic clerics, esp. Ayatollah

Khomeini Khomeini –built on popular discontentbuilt on popular discontent•Demonstrations, riots, strikesDemonstrations, riots, strikes

–Tied these ideas to Islamic Tied these ideas to Islamic principlesprinciples

–Called for overthrow of the Called for overthrow of the ShahShah

REVOLUTIONARY REVOLUTIONARY IMAGESIMAGES

REVOLUTION!REVOLUTION!•Widespread Widespread

demonstrations demonstrations – 1978-’791978-’79

•Shah’s gov’t. Shah’s gov’t. collapsedcollapsed– Jan. 16, 1979Jan. 16, 1979– Shah fled IranShah fled Iran– Went to EgyptWent to Egypt

MORE……..MORE……..

AND MORE…AND MORE…

ISLAMIC ISLAMIC REPUBLICREPUBLIC

•Or theocracyOr theocracy

== gov’t which gov’t which supports religionsupports religion

• Led by Led by Rouhollah Rouhollah KhomeiniKhomeini …….. ……..– Muslim Muslim

“ayatollah”“ayatollah”

•Based on Islamic Based on Islamic fundamentalismfundamentalism