Before U.S. policy can attempt to solve for volatile portions of the Middle East, Americans need to understand the essential components of Iran's government and its people.
Government Structure of Iran
A theocracy is a form of government in which the state recognizes divine guidance in its daily functioning. The theocracy is usually headed by a religious leader or a divinely appointed individual who acts on behalf of a divine power, generally God or Allah. All laws and practices of the country are rooted in this religious belief.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is one such theocracy based on Islamic beliefs. Iran departs from traditional Muslim theocracies because leaders exercise power directly. Divine law is interpreted by a group of religious leaders called the ulema. These proceedings overrule any democratic law not rooted in Islamic beliefs.
Movements Towards a Democratic Government
After the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran’s head revolutionary in 1979, the country took a more democratic approach to governance in 1989. And democratic
Three levels of elections provide citizens with access to democratic institutions and means of changing their social conditions: presidential, primary, and local. This limited democracy allows for a fair amount of individual activism while still maintaining ties to the country’s historical legacy with Twelver Shiism as the official state religion.
Religious Controversy and the Formation of the Ulema
After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the Islamic base split into two, the Sunnis and the Shiites. Shiites comprise about 10% of the religious base and claim that the only rightful successors to Muhammad are his descendants called imams.
However, it is largely believed by the Sunnis that the chain of imams was broken with the twelfth generation. Without a clear leader descending from Muhammad himself, controversy within the religious sphere has been commonplace. Who is destined to lead the theocracy? Does a successor of Muhammad exist? Should it matter? These are many of the common questions associated with Iran's religious debate.
In the seventeenth century, some ulema argued that any leader absent an imam must be approved by the ulema themselves. Eventually, the ulema established themselves as a separate governmental institution independent of the state, accepting religious tithes and gaining more power than previous religious institutions. This legacy of theocracy carries over into Iranian society today.
Westernization and the Shiite Influence
Pressured with the goal of ‘catching up’ to Western society socially and developmentally, Shiite ulema aided the constitutional movement to focus the Iranian government towards their beliefs. Under the constitutional proceedings, it was argued that the shah, who upheld the official religion, could share power with an elected Parliament.
Ayatollah Muhammad-Husayn Na’ini argued that a tyrannical shah would violate both the people’s rights and the rights of the Twelver Imam. Thus shared rule with democracy was reconciled with Islamic beliefs. The Islamic Revolution of 1977 saw a liberalization of Islamic political culture and an uprising against the monarchy. The principle of a guardianship of the jurisprudent became popular as the ulema attempted to regain and maintain political influence. The new constitution still recognized the right of the people to elect a parliament by universal suffrage while still maintaining ulema power.
Elected and Appointed Offices in Iran
The resulting system consists of two types of offices: elected and appointed. The Leader is appointed by an elected Assembly of Experts (ulema) every 10 years and maintains the highest authority in Iran, combining the principles of guardianship, religion, and temporal authority. His duties include setting overall state policies and appointing members of government including the head of the Judiciary, half the members of the Council of Guardians, all members of the Expediency Council, the director of media relations, and commanders of the military.
The Assembly of Experts checks the Leader and can dismiss him from his position. The President is elected by the citizens every four years. There are two requirements to be considered for this executive position: he must be a Twelver Shiite and male. Iran’s parliament consists of one chamber, the Majles, consisting of 290 members who are elected to four year terms. All must practice Islam except for 5 MPs who represent the Christians, one for the Jews, and one for Zoroastrians. The parliament has the capacity to enact laws and produce legislation as long as they do not conflict with the state religion.
As long as individuals are able to express themselves through their vote, democracy exists to an extent even in a theocracy. On the policy-level, Iran is still inflicted with many of the same problems that America has: corruption, suspicion of the private sector, fighting between those of differing political persuasions in regards to welfare. Individuals in Iran are still able to articulate their interests and form groups with like-minded individuals through non-institutional groups, voting, institutional groups, professional organizations, and non-associational social groups. Understanding Iran's theocracy and the groups that help shape it today can improve American's knowledge of the situation and better augment public policy towards the region.
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