Resistance Economy, Role Model for Islamic Progress and Development (1)

Throughout the years, the Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, has put emphasis on enhancement of the economic strength of Muslims, and has spoken of Resistance Economy as a means for countering economic pressures, and materializing a dynamic and active economy. Resistance Economy is opposite to dependent economy. Resistance Economy stands up against the economic pressures piled up by hegemonic powers; with reinforcement of the foundations of indigenous economy.

Achievement of a dynamic and active economy is one of the signs of growth and development in communities, such that it can be said that economic might plays a decisive and fateful role in the power and sustainability of a nation. Thus, super powers always use economic sanctions as a tool for pressing their opponent countries.

Economic sanctions are punitive means which are used in foreign policy. The purpose of these sanctions is to ratchet up pressure on the targeted country in order to prompt it to change its conduct and policy. This change can take place in political or economic realms.

Upon the victory of Iran’s Islamic Revolution and establishment of the sacred Islamic system, a new form of ruling system emerged in the world which did not compromise with arrogant powers, aiming to sever cultural, political, and economic dependencies on world powers. Establishment of the sacred Islamic system in Middle East, which is of paramount economic and political importance, led the Global Arrogance to try to sabotage the Islamic establishment by a number of means such as waging the imposed war against Iran. Upon termination of the imposed war and the military failure of enemies, they shifted their attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran to other domains.

One of the domains of large-scale attacks against Islamic Republic of Iran, especially in recent years, has been the realm of economy. In the meantime, it can be said that many independence-seeking and anti-West countries have been exposed to threats, such as economic sanctions. Therefore, Islamic countries are duty-bound to innovate, present theories in the field of economy, and make utmost efforts to display their political, cultural, and economic policies based on independence from the West and reliance upon Islamic teachings. Given the economic problems that the majority of Islamic countries are faced with; the Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, throughout the recent years, has put emphasis on further economic empowerment of Muslims, while speaking of Resistance Economy as a means to counter economic pressures, and accomplish a dynamic and active economy. Resistance economy is opposite to dependent economy, firmly standing up to economic pressures, imposed by hegemonic powers, via reinforcing and supporting indigenous economic foundations. In fact, Resistance Economy is a means to counter economic sanctions against a region or country. The term Resistance Economy was for the first time used in the year 2005, after the siege of Gaza, when inability to export goods had lower the possibility of export and cultivation of many agricultural products. At that point in time, the rules and criteria, governing Resistance Economy were also identified.

In Iran, this term was first used in the meeting of entrepreneurs with the Leader of Islamic Revolution in the Iranian solar calendar year 1389. The Leader of Islamic Revolution presented Resistance Economy as a key concept for enhancement of Iran’s economic power, and determination of an appropriate role model for development and growth. Meanwhile, the features of Resistance Economy can be effective and fruitful for all countries which think of economic independence, and achievement of an efficient and appropriate role model for economic growth. Implementation of the goals of Resistance Economy in the society brings about positive outcomes in the economic and political fields. Resistance against the economic sanctions; imposed by foreign states, results in reliance of the community on domestic capacities and sources; and utilization of indigenous capacities and talents. This, in turn, cements the pillars of political independence, and promotion of national power.

The Leader of Islamic Revolution notes: “Resistance Economy is an economy which enables a nation to experience growth even under pressure. Resistance Economy is an economy which secures a nation’s growth and development, despite pressures, economic sanctions, enmities and hostilities imposed against the nation.”

Economists define Resistance Economy as an economy which is opposite to dependent economy, is not passive, and stands up against the sinister economic goals of the hegemonic powers. Resistance Economy intends to change the current economic structures, and to indigenize them, based on its set outlook, and goals. In other words, Resistance Economy aims to identify domains of pressure, while trying to control and to render them ineffective. Meanwhile, under ideal conditions, Resistance Economy aims to change these pressures into an opportunity. Resistance Economy aims to lower dependencies, and to put emphasis on the advantages of domestic production and self-reliance.  Resistance Economy, based on a body of precise studies, identifies all of the future opportunities of the enemy for dealing a blow against the national economy and presents the appropriate approaches in different arenas.

When we speak of Resistance Economy within the framework of Islamic teachings, we are speaking of a type of Islamic economy, which is rooted in monotheistic outlook and considers topics of importance based on an especial role model. Obviously, this role model is neither a socialist, nor a capitalist role model. Resistance Economy, based on Islamic teachings, can be taken into consideration as a new and efficient role model in the development of economy of countries, which are subjected to economic sanctions.

Meanwhile, several theoretical models have been presented for economic growth and development and materialization of welfare within the framework of development discourse. Prior to elaborating on the benchmarks and parameters of Resistance Economy, based on Islamic teachings, it is appropriate to briefly review a number of theories on development, which have been common to this day. The development theories can be divided into four groups, which are namely the modernization theory; the dependency theory; the world-systems theory; and the post-development theory.

The modernization theory states that traditional and/or underdeveloped countries can turn their traditional communities into resembling western communities via copying advanced capitalist states. The most impactful role model which was presented to this end was the Walt Whitman Rostow approach, under the heading of phases of economic growth. Many consider the modernization theory as a means which promotes westernization of societies. Countries, such as South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, and Turkey are a number of countries which follow this role model.

The followers of modernization theory, in accordance with a sociological tradition, have classified communities into traditional and modern societies, such that, on one hand, we are faced with an undeveloped traditional community, and, on the other hand, we are faced with a developed modern community. This theory assumes that all communities have resembled each other in a traditional phase, and would ultimately experience all the developments which have taken place in the West, transforming into so-called modern communities. This transition phase takes shape via promotion and/or development of western-style social, economic, and political systems. This theory claims that development is tantamount to replacement of traditional values with western values.

The other development theory is the dependence theory which is the result of blend of Marxism and experiences of Latin American intellectuals. In the 1950s, a group of economists, within the Latin America Economic Committee, headquartered in Santiago, Chile, began a study on an important and fundamental question, which intended to discover the root cause of widening gap between rich states and developing and poor countries. This study showed that the root cause of this widening gap was the dependence of countries within the southern hemisphere on the industrial states in the northern hemisphere.

This theory assumes that lack of development of an economy is tied to outer political, economic, and cultural factors, and the impact of these factors on the development of national economy.

One of the theorists in this domain is Paul Baran. He believes that lack of development of underdeveloped countries is rooted in the presence of colonial states in them. He also believes that the investment of developed states in underdeveloped countries does not lead to the economic development and growth of underdeveloped countries, and in fact results in the handover of a lion’s share of the economic surplus of underdeveloped countries to developed states.
These countries should adopt the industrialization policy, and should replace the import of goods with this policy, so that these countries would not be dependent on industrial states for consumption of industrial goods.

Baran believes that the underdevelopment is tied to the conduct of the capitalist system in the lesser-developed regions of the world. Thus, the impact of the capitalist system in remote regions in fact leads to underdevelopment of these regions.

In the future program, we mention other development theories, and study the topic of Resistance Economy which is a development role model based on Islamic teachings.

MR/MG