Welcome to this week's episode of the series "Find out more about the Islamic Revolution". Today, we study the views of Dr. Saeed Amir Arjomand about Iran's Islamic Revolution.

Saeed Amir Arjomand is an Iranian theorist, who has carried out specialized studies on the reasons behind the occurrence of Islamic Revolution in Iran. He maintains a PhD in sociology, and has been the assistant professor of sociology and Islamic sciences at the University of California and the School of Theology at Chicago University. Furthermore, as of the year 1988 to this date, he has lectured at the New York State University. He has studied Iran's Islamic Revolution based on a sociological approach, penning a number of works in this field.

The focus of Dr. Saeed Amir Arjomand on Shiasm in Iran and the role of Ulema in the emergence and culmination of the Islamic Revolution manifests that he has been influenced by Iran's Islamic Revolution.

This Iranian theorist believes that Iran's Islamic Revolution is different to other revolutions that have taken place in the World of Islam, and that Islamic Revolution pursues a modern model. He notes that Iran's Islamic Revolution began in cities. He also notes that the despotic Pahlavi government maintained complete dominance, which was fully shattered with the emergence and victory of the Islamic Revolution.

He underlines that in order to understand Iran's Islamic Revolution, it is important to focus on two important factors which are namely the Shia Sources of Emulation, and the impact of modern government on Iran's community. He names trust in Shia Sources of Emulation as one of the basis for understanding the reasons behind the emergence and victory of Islamic Revolution. He has also mentioned some of the social and economic reasons behind the occurrence of Islamic Revolution in Iran. This Iranian theorist underscores that in the modern world; monarchic regimes, are vulnerable toward revolutions, more than any other regime.

He also believes that 'the swift social changes in Iran led to social chaos in this society. The inability of the then government in establishment of a bond between the former Iranian despotic regime and the community led Shia Islam to introduce itself as a rival unifying force to the Iranian community. In the view of this Iranian theorist, the inability of the former Iranian dictator, Mohammad Reza Shah, in merging the groups, which had experienced social chaos, with the former dictatorial regime, prompted these groups of people to seek refuge in the sacred religion of Islam. In the meantime, this view of Amir Arjomand can be criticized, because in fact the contrast of the said social changes with the religious values of people of Iran was the actual reason behind the opposition of the Iranian nation with these social changes, and the Pahlavi despotic regime, ultimately resulting in the ouster of former dictator, Mohammad Reza Shah, and the victory of Islamic Revolution.

Amir Arjomand believes that clerics in the company of other forces, were a highly important factor in the victory of Islamic Revolution and ouster of the former Iranian dictatorial regime. He puts emphasis on the coalition of clergy and bazaar merchants against the Pahlavi despotic regime. He also notes that the supporters of the Islamic Revolution in Iran did not maintain a personal, or materialistic outlook toward the Islamic Revolution and in fact their views were based on their values and identity, leading to unity and solidarity of the supporters of Islamic Revolution, and preventing the emergence of any possible differences of opinion among them; with the Pahlavi despotic regime utterly failing to drive a wedge among the advocates of Iran's Islamic Revolution. This important factor highly contributed to the victory of Islamic Revolution in Iran. Amir Arjomand believes that in this process, clerics played a prominent role and were highly effective in culmination of the Islamic Revolution.

Another criticism which can be leveled against the viewpoint of Saeed Amir Arjomand, is that his writings have neglected the role of workers and laborers in the Islamic Revolution. In fact, workers and laborers, upon aligning with, and abidance by the guidelines and instructions of the Father of Islamic Revolution, late Imam Khomeini (God's mercy upon him), played an important role in the emergence and culmination of the Islamic Revolution. Furthermore, many workers courted martyrdom throughout the demonstrations which were held against Pahlavi dictatorial regime.

MR/ME