İran Dövlətçilik Ənənələrinin Siyasi Perespektivləri
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Civil society organizations encompass various structures and groups participating in political life. Their formation and development have manifested differently across countries and historical contexts. In Iran, over the past century, the emergence and activity of such organizations have been limited and highly specific. Early examples include Freemason-type organizations in the late 19th century and Armenian-founded political parties, though many of these groups were nationalist or extremist rather than genuinely socialist or democratic. In the early 20th century, migration and political events in the Russian Empire influenced Iran’s social and political life, leading to the creation of socialist, democratic, and nationalist parties, which generally gained limited popular support due to the deep-rooted Shia-Islamic worldview. Between 1920–1925, various political groups operated, but none became seriously organized or influential in state-building. Political repression intensified under the Pahlavi dynasty, with parties modeled after European examples and a strong focus on promoting a Persian-nationalist ideology while suppressing alternatives. After 1941, following the entry of Soviet and British forces into Iran, new political parties and movements emerged, including socialist, nationalist, and monarchist factions. The Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADF) established in 1945 briefly created an autonomous government in southern Azerbaijan but was suppressed by Pahlavi forces in 1946. Throughout the Pahlavi era, party activity was tightly controlled, with a shift toward state-managed parties and ultimately a single-party system by 1975. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, some political parties initially gained limited freedom, but by 1982 the Islamic Republic restricted political activity to religiously aligned groups, implementing severe repression against secular, leftist, and alternative organizations. Many Iranian political parties and intellectuals went into exile, reorganizing abroad and maintaining ideological continuity despite challenges. The post-revolutionary period has seen political activity largely constrained within the framework of the Islamic Republic, with real power concentrated in the Supreme Leader and the clerical establishment. Despite this, Iranian youth have rapidly integrated into global information networks, challenging traditional religious and feudal controls, while the country faces ongoing economic and infrastructural challenges. Modernization of the economy and opportunities for youth are seen as critical for Iran’s future state-building and societal development.
Source: Azerbaijan Post
Author: Parviz Kazimi
Institution: Baku State University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4414078020