yr12_iran

=Causes of the Islamic Revolution of 1979=

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In my previous Power Point presentation I gave four reasons as to the causes of the Persian Revolution. However the four reasons were those seen mainly through the eyes of the Western World. In this short essay, I am aiming to incorporate the Personal views of the Persian public along side those of the western world to give a two point, unbiased view of the causes to the Islamic Revolution.

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Western World Causes
For the view perceived by the western world supported mainly by the Americain media I have identified four key reasons as to be the causes of the revolution. These four causes involve:


 * The unpopularity of the regime
 * Technical difficulties (involving inflation)
 * Opposition against Westernization (Mainly concerning America)
 * The underestimation of the opposition (Mainly concerning Ayatollah's Khomeinists)

Unpopularity
Starting with the unpopularity of the regime we will look at the growing unpopularity of the regime but also the feeling of contamination within their culture by the Western World. In the 60's and 70's the relationship seen between then USA and Iran was much like the one England shares with the USA today. Iran was up to date with the most technologically advanced Fighter Jets the USA could provide them, however with the science came the culture. Many of the Persians were not moved by the gradual change in culture but others saw it as an atrosity. One of the men who saw it as an invasion of old Persian culture was Ayotallah Khomeini.

Opposition against Westernisation
In 1963 Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi (the Shah of Persia) took a step of so called "Westernization" with the "White Revolution". The White Revolution consister of 6 points. These points being:
 * Land reform
 * Nationalization of the forests
 * The sale of state-owned enterprises to private interests
 * electoral changes to enfranchise women and allow non-Muslims to hold office
 * Profit-shareing in industry
 * A literacy campaign in the nation's schools

Many Persians saw the gradual change in culture as more of an invasion, few were to react but Ayatollah Khomeini did. Khomein ordered a meeting at which they planned to boycott the White Revolution plan.

Underestimation of the Opposition
The Shah ignored Ayatollah Khomeini thinking his speeches would fade from the memories of the perisan public, bu they didnt. On January 22, 1963 Khomeini delivered a strongly worded declaration denouncing the Shah and his plans, despite this, the Shah continued with his White Revolution. On the afternoon of 'Ashura (1963 june) Khomeini delivered a speech showing relationships between the infamous tyrant Yazid and the Shah, depicting the Shah as a "wretched, miserable man," and warning him that if he did not change his ways the day would come when the people would offer up thanks for his departure from the country.

Causes of the Revolution Perceived by the Persian Public
To begin with, Unlike the Chineese or the Russian revolution the Iranian revolution was not a proleterian peasent revolution but one that was manifested through a combination of other reasons.

The main reasons consist of:
 * Corruption in the private and governmental establishments
 * Very high inflation due to the increase in oil prices in the early 70s
 * Westernisation without respecting the cultural heritage of the Iranians
 * Lack of recogntion by the shah of the ayatollah's potential ability to instigate an eventual revolution and regime change
 * Undue shah's relliance on his allies institutions such as CIA, MI6 and Mousad of Israel who only focussed on Iranian oil rather than loyalty to the shah or Iran.
 * and most importantly Shah's refusal in 1978 to agree to the renewal of 25 year treaty signed in 1953 for the control of the Iranian oil by the west namely with the powerful seven sisters eg Exxcon, BP, Shell, Total etc.
 * Finally shahs unpopularity at home in particular amongst the less advantaged Iranians. His life as the Shah of Iran started poorly when his father (Reza Shah) declared Iran as a netural country during the WWII. It is known that Shah's father was against the allies going through Iran to help provide supplies to Russia from the south while Hitler was attacking Russia from the west. His father was thus deported by the allies to Africa and shah was crowned as the young king. Nearly a decade later shah's relationship with his democraticlly elected prime minister Mosadegh deteriorated since to the dislike of the western world powers Mosadegh had nationalised the Iranian oil industry leading to the shah seeking US help. Mossadegh was then overthrown by the CIA and MI6 in operation Ajax and the shah was reinstated into pôwer by USA once more. He never gained Iranian people's popular respect and support principlly due to the western influence in Iran's internal affairs until his eventual downfall by the revolution in 1979. Many Iranaians viewed him as a puppet of the west similar to many leaders in the middle east are viewed by their nations presently such as the president of Egypt Mobarak; King Abdolah of Jordan or The King of Saudi Arabia. At the end shah's regime was brought to an end not only because of his own people's uprising but also being abandoned by his western allies such as Margaret Thatcher or Jimmy Carter who refused to provide him and his family with refugee status n their countries despite his vast wealth. Thus came to an end the 2500 years of pesian kings and their dynasties into our modern history.

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