iran key terms quizlet

cultural revolution

Aimed to purify the country from not only the Shah's regime, but also from secular value & behaviors, particularly those with western origins

Retribution Law

"penal code" based on shari'a, with Qur'anic principle of "an eye for an eye"

White Revolution

in 1962, the Shah's attempt to quiet the people from rebelling for economic and and political reform: creates land reform, profit, sharing, literacy corp instead of army and women's right to vote

Sunni vs Shia

A. Divisions of Islam

Shia

the branch of Islam whose members acknowledge Ali and his descendants as the rightful successors of Muhammad

Sunni

a member of the branch of Islam that accepts the first four caliphs as rightful successors to Muhammad

Iran Iraq War

began when Iraq invaded Iran on September 22 1980 following a long history of border disputes and fears of Shia insurgency among Iraq's long suppressed Shia majority influenced by Iran's Islamic revolution.

1979 Revolution

leader was khomeini. people were upset because their leader (the shah) was not chosen by them and back up by europe and the US. they believed their resources were being abused and wanted change. revolution was intended to turn iran into a purely islamic state. new government followed the sharia and all western culture was banned.

Ayatollah

a high-ranking Shiite religious leader who is regarded as an authority on religious law and its interpretation and who has political power as well

Qur'an

the sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina

Shari'ah

the code of law derived from the Koran and from the teachings and example of Mohammed

Jurist's Guardianship

Khomeini's concept that the Iranian clergy should rule on the grounds that they are the divinely appointed guardians of both the law and the poeple.

Maslabat

Clerics and religious leaders should be in charge of things based on the good of the people or public interest.

Statists

Believe that the government should take an active role in controlling the economy.

Election of 2005

The President needs to win by over 50% of the vote. Ahmadinejad won less than 20% of the vote in the first ballot. He won a surprising 60% of the vote in the second ballot.

Election of 2009

charges of election fraud, Mousavi also ran, opinion polls showed close race between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi, Supreme Leader sanctioned recount, showed Ahmadinejad still won, protests outside inauguration

Import Substitution Industrialization

An economic system aimed at building a country's industry by restricting foreign trade. It was especially popular in Latin American countries such as Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil in the mid-twentieth century.

Axis of Evil

Created in 2002 by George W. Bush to show the "bad guys" which include: Iran, Iraq, and N. Korea

Rentier State

A country that obtains a hefty income by exporting raw materials or leasing out natural resources to foreign companies

Revolutionary Guard

a faction of Iran's military that is only controlled by the Leader and the clergy. The Guard is supposed to "protect Iran from internal enemies" and works at the whim of religious leaders

Semipublic Institutions

Iran has many of these, which are supposedly autonomous but actually direct by leader-appointed clerics; buy shares in privatized companies and have large subsidies, so generally very wealthy

Ayatollah Khomeini

Iranian religious leader of the Shiites

Ayatollah Khamenei

an Iranian politician, cleric and the figurehead of the conservative establishment in Iran, has been the Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989 and was president of Iran from 1981 to 1989

Ahmadinejad

His election as president was the most serious unrest since the revolution. Riots and protests were going on, and a lot of people were killed.

Majles

Term for the government body - legislature created by the Constitution of 1906 to balance the power of the monarchy. had power to make and pass laws. Directly elected by the people

Assembly of Religious Experts

nominates the Supreme Leader and can replace him. Elected by the general electorate but almost all its members are clerics