Comp Gov Iran

Front 1

Zoroastrianism

Back 1

Persian religion

Front 2

Wokers' House

Back 2

interest group for factory workersits coalition was broken up by the Guardian Council's banning of reformist candidates in 2004/05

Front 3

White Revolution

Back 3

The term used by the shah to describe reforms in Iran between the end of World War II and the downfall of his regime in 1979

Front 4

white coup

Back 4

the bloodless coup of reformists of Ahmadinejad

Front 5

Tudeh Party

Back 5

the pro-Soviet communist party of Iran between 1941 and 1953

Front 6

theocracy

Back 6

A government controlled by religious leaders

Front 7

Supreme Leader

Back 7

The country's most powerful political figure, who has the authority to overrule or dismiss the president, appoints members of the Guardian Council, and has personal representatives in the army, universities, etc.

Front 8

Sunni Muslims

Back 8

Majority of the Muslims; believe succesor of Muhhamad can be an elected caliph.

Front 9

statists v. free-marketers

Back 9

statists- believe that the government should take an active role in controlling the economy - redistributing land and wealth, eliminating unemployment, placing price ceilingsfree-marketers- want to remove price controls, lower business taxes, encourage private enterprise, and balance the budget

Front 10

Shiism

Back 10

One of the two main branches of Islam. Shiites recognize Ali, the fourth caliph, and his descendants as rightful rulers of the Islamic world; practiced in the Safavid empire

Front 11

sharia

Back 11

Islamic LawBody of Islamic law that includes interpretation of the Quran and applies Islamic principles to everyday life

Front 12

secularization

Back 12

A process of removing institutions such as education and government from the dominance or influence of religion

Front 13

Safavid Empire

Back 13

Shi'ite Muslim dynasty that ruled Persia between 16th and 18th centuries

Front 14

Hassan Rouhani

Back 14

President of Iran

Front 15

Reza Shah

Back 15

A powerful military dictator of Iran who initially tried to model Iran after European ideals but subsequently turned into a tyrant due to lack of support from rival government officials and the illiterate majority of Iranian people.

Front 16

Revolutionary Guards

Back 16

The militarized quasi-police force of the revolutionary government during the Iranian Revolution.

Front 17

revolution of rising expectations

Back 17

a theory (1) which states that revolutions typically occur when a period of improvement (1) is interrupted by some economic crisis (1) or sudden downturn (1)

Front 18

Revolution of 1979

Back 18

events involving overthrow of Iran's monarchy and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution

Front 19

Resurgence party

Back 19

created by Muhammud Reza Shah in 1975; declared Iran to be a one-party state with him as the head; replaced the Islamic calendar with a new one and gave himself a new title; created Religious Corps, whose duty was to teach Iranian peasants "true Islam"

Front 20

rentir state

Back 20

state that rents out its land for other countries usage. Nigeria and Iran.

Front 21

reformers v. conservatives

Back 21

conservatives want to keep the regime as it is, under the control of the clerics and sharia lawreformers would like to see more secularization and democracy

Front 22

Akbar Hasemi Rafsanjani

Back 22

Second president of Iran after the 1979 Revolution. Tried in vain to gain a third Presidential term in 2005. Centrist, pragmatic conservative, free market; credited with much of Iran's reconstruction after the Iran-Iraq war.

Front 23

presidential election of 2005, 2009

Back 23

05 Rasfanjani v Ahmadinejad

09 Ahmadinejad v Mousavi

Front 24

Persian Empire

Back 24

Ancient Middle Eastern empire comprising modern day Iran. The Perisan Empire dominated the Middle East from the middle of the 6th century BCE to about the end of the 5th century BCE, Its greatest ruler was Dairus I. Persia was later conquered by Alexander the Great.

Front 25

People of the Book

Back 25

A term applied by Islamic governments to Muslims, Christians, and Jews in reference to the fact that all three religions had a holy book

Front 26

para-statals

Back 26

A company or agency owned or controlled wholly or partly by the government. Common in both Mexico (Pemex for example) and Nigeria. Usually inefficient as there is a lack of competition for the goods or services they provide.

Front 27

Pahlavis

Back 27

The ruling dynasty of Iran from 1925-1979. During this time Iran experienced political secularization, the Majles lost power, and the government became more authoritarian.

Front 28

Pahlavi Foundation

Back 28

Tax-exempt, patronage system that controlled large companies that fed the pocketbooks of the shah and his supporters.

Front 29

Qom

Back 29

shia capitala desert city south of Tehran; reflects the differences among clerics and scholars in the seminaries; a seminary cityholiest city in Iran; policy-making

Front 30

Qajar Empire

Back 30

Turkish group; moved the capital to Tehran and retained Shiism as the official state religion; Shia clerical leaders could claim to be the main interpreters of Islam, so the separation between government and religion widened; encouraged the Constitutional Revolution

Front 31

qanun

Back 31

no sacred basis; body of statutes made by legislative bodies; passed by the Majles; law made by the people's elected representatives

Front 32

National Front

Back 32

Political party in Iran following World War II, which opposed the monarchy and favored greater Iranian control over natural resources. Outlawed after Operation Ajax.

Front 33

Muhammad Reza Shah

Back 33

Became Shah of Iran in 1941. Supported the overthrow of Mosaddiq in the 1953 coup. Was a strong proponent of Western based economic and social reform, announcing the White Revolution reforms in 1963. He was viewed as a vehicle for Western influence and in 1975 he ended the two-party system and instituted a one-party authoritarian state.

Front 34

Mir-Hossein Mousavi

Back 34

in reality, won the election against Ahmadinejad in summer 2009, but Ayatollah rigged the election so he lost

Front 35

Muhammad Mosaddeq

Back 35

Iran's prime minister. His two goals were to establish constitutional government in Iran and to free Iran from foreign interference. He tried to limit the power of the shah and to strengthen the Majles.

Front 36

Majles Election of 2004, 2008

Back 36

Guardian Council banned thousands of candidates from running. Majority Conservatives

Front 37

Majles

Back 37

Iran's unicameral parliament, consisting of 290 elected representativesMembers are directly elected every 4 years. They introduce and pass legislation. They also have the power to impeach ministers and the president.

Front 38

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

Back 38

Shi'ite philosopher and cleric who led the overthrow of the shah of Iran in 1979 and created an Islamic republic.

Front 39

Muhammad Khatami

Back 39

President from 1997-2005. Reformist who aimed to end freeze in relations between Iran and the West. Believed in a "dialogue among civilizations" that fostered positive relationships with other countries.

Front 40

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Back 40

Supreme Leader of Iransuccessor to Khomeini, but lacking in the same magnetism of personality and academic credentials

Front 41

Jurist's guardianship (velayat-e-faqih)

Back 41

Term for the principle that leaders have authority over all the people. Khomeini claimed that clerics have authority over the entire community

Front 42

Islamic Society of Engineers

Back 42

The Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran; alliance of conservative parties and is shortened to Abadgaran; sponsored by Ahmadinejad, who won the presidential election in 2009

Front 43

Islamic Iran Participation Front

Back 43

one of the members of the reformist Khordad front

Front 44

Iranian Militant Clerics Society

Back 44

left wing pro-reform party led by Muhammad Khatami

Front 45

import substitution industrialization

Back 45

An economic system that attempts to strengthen a country's industrial power by restricting foreign imports.

Front 46

imams

Back 46

Muslim religious leadersspiritual leaders of Shi'ah Islam, said to be direct descendents of Muhammad

Front 47

Hidden Imam

Back 47

12th descendant of Ali who disappeared as a child

Front 48

head of state, head of government

Back 48

head of state- supreme leader (holds ultimate power) head of government- president

Front 49

Guardian Council

Back 49

This is the most powerful theological body in Iran. It consists of 12 members 6 clerics appointed by the Supreme Leader and 6 judges appointed by the Majils. The importance of them is they have to approve all candidates and all legislation.

Front 50

fundamentalism

Back 50

Literal interpretation and strict adherence to basic principles of a religion (or a religious branch, denomination, or sect).

Front 51

faqih

Back 51

an expert in Islamic Law

Front 52

The Executives of Construction Party

Back 52

Political party established by founders of Rafsanjani's cabinet. As his supporters, they were willing to criticize Ahmadinejad

Front 53

equality-with-difference

Back 53

policy towards women; divorce and custody laws now follow Islamic standards that favor males; women must wear scarves and long coats in public, and they cannot leave the country without the consent of male relatives; stoning of women; women are allowed education and entrance into some occupations

Front 54

"economics is for donkeys"

Back 54

disdains the importance of economics for policymakers and affirming the superiority of religious, rather than secular leadersquotation by the Ayatollah, intended to discourage active economic study and policy

Front 55

Cultural Revolution

Back 55

Endorsed by Shia leader during the founding of the Islamic Republic. Goal is to purify shah's regime.

Front 56

Constitutional Revolution of 1905-09

Back 56

Begun in 1906, the first attempt to bring anything like democracy to Iran

Front 57

Constitution of 1979

Back 57

most important document that legitimizes the state today; written during the last months of Ayatollah Khomeini's life; forty amendments; highly complex mixture of theocracy and democracy; preamble reflects the importance of religion for the legitimacy of the state, affirming faith in God, Divine Justice, the Qur'an, the Prophet Muhammud, the Twelve Imams, and the eventual return of the Hidden Imam

Front 58

bonyads

Back 58

Parastatal foundations made in part form assets nationalized after the Iranian revolution The objectives of them were to help the disadvantaged, such as war veterans and the poor. Over time however, they have become major economic players and often monopolies, controlling substantial assets and industries while operating independently of government oversight or taxation.

Front 59

Baha'i

Back 59

Started in Iran in 1800s. Bahai is based on two people. Bahai doesn't take the Qur'an literally. They don't believe in angels or devils. heaven or hell are not places they are condition of the soul. All religions come from the same source.

Front 60

Basij

Back 60

a paramilitary volunteer militia established in 1979 by order of the Islamic Revolution's leader Khomeini; consists of young Iranians who've volunteered, often in exchange for official benefits. It gained international attention in the aftermath of the disputed presidential election of 2009, when opposition candidate, Mir-Hussein Moussavi, accused the Basij of brutality as it contained the demonstrations.

Front 61

"axis of evil"

Back 61

A group of nations accused by the Bush administration of sponsoring terrorism and threatening to develop weapons of mass destruction

Front 62

Assembly of Religious Experts

Back 62

this organization is a menifestation of the hold that Islam has on Iran. It is chaired by clerics with the equivalent of a masters degree in religion; A.R.E. reserves the right to dismiss a leader if he is incapable of filling his duties which are implied to be religious in context

Front 63

Ahmadinejad Mahmoud

Back 63

President of Iran