CHAPTER 12: IRANLearning Objectives12.1 Compare and contrast
Iran with its neighboring countries. 12.2 ut!ine the di""icu!ties
o" a theocratic po!itica! s#stem. 12.$ %emonstrate the re!ationship
between Is!am and moderni&ation. 12.' App!# (rinton)s theor# o"
re*o!ution to Iran)s Is!amic Re*o!ution. 12.+ E*a!uate the
possibi!ities o" Iran turning into a democrac#. Chapter OutlineI.
,h# Iran -attersa. He!ps us understand wh# it is so hard to turn
the -idd!e East toward democrac#i. Region is caught between Is!am
and moderni&ation ii. Conse.uent!# it seethes with resentmentb.
Iran di""ers "rom Arab neighbors in !anguage and re!igion/ the#
share the prob!em o" oi! wea!th destabi!i&ing traditiona!
po!itica! arrangementsc. Is there an# wa# "or the -idd!e East to
mo*e smooth!# to democrac#0 i. Iran is one o" the wor!d)s "ew
theocraciesii. 1ast presidentia! e!ections demonstrated great
unrestII. Impact o" the Pasta. Persia was an important trade route
between East and ,est !in2ing -idd!e East and Asiai. Crossroads o"
ci*i!i&ationsii. ne o" ear!iest great ci*i!i&ations iii.
Target "or con.uest:1. Indo3European3spea2ing in*aders in "i"teenth
centur# (C2. 4ree2s under A!e5ander the 4reat in third and "ourth
centuries (C3. Arab Is!amic con.uest in se*enth centur# A%4.
Tur2ish tribes in e!e*enth centur# A%5. -ongo!s in thirteenth
centur# A%iv. Iran/ much !i2e China/ "e!! into 6the s!eep o"
nations7 and when it awo2e it was "ar behind the ,est1. (rings up
the .uestion o" i" Iran wi!! mo*e into modernit#02. I" so/ when
wi!! it0b. The Arab Con.uesti. ,ithin two centuries o" its arri*a!
8mid39::s; Persia was most!# -us!im ii. -a 2:19/ 2:1$/ 2:11 Pearson
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!ocation and was a ma 2:19/ 2:1$/ 2:11 Pearson Education/ Inc. A!!
rights reser*ed.291There are/ howe*er/ "ronts and coa!itions that
ha*e the potentia! to turn into parties. In genera!/ the# are the
radica!s/ conser*ati*es/ re"ormists/ and !ibera!s.Iranian po!itica!
cu!ture is dri*en b# a desire to pre*ent ,esterni&ation.
A!though Iran somewhat we!comes moderni&ation/ there is a
widespread "ear that it cannot be accomp!ished without
,esterni&ation and secu!ari&ation. This is/ o" course/ a
prominent debate to which there is no de"initi*e answer. %espite
the wa*es o" con.uest/ Persian societ# has 2ept its traditions "or
centuries and is most c!ear!# de"ined b# Is!am/ the mos.ue/ the
mu!!ahs/ and the Foran. Is!am is treated as a po!itica! ideo!og# in
Iran/ o" which there are man# *ariations. Each *ariation has
di""erent be!ie"s as to the degree o" "usion needed between
re!igion and po!itics. The ma 2:19/ 2:1$/ 2:11 Pearson Education/
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