Iran+--+Pd.+3+government+structure

Government Structure
 * Constitutional Provisions
 * [[image:http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRtwZnpqEAylJ8AUstc9ubDJ9ijelp02Z7JsAtMGTZNPBwY1PAEww width="252" height="200" align="right"]]Brief History: The creation of the modern Islamic state and its constitution happened primarily because of the Islamic Revolution (1977-1979). It began with denouncing the shah and a return to politcal Islam, previously unseen in the nation. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution, was the primary advocate for this change in government structure. After the revolution, a referendum replaced the monarchy with the Islamic Republic we see today. The constitution was formed by a body named the Assembly of Religious Experts, elected by the general public. However, the elections were not actually free and fair; almost all members were pro-Khomeini clerygmen. They created an extremely theocratic constition that put most authority on Khomeini -- the supreme leader -- and the clergy.
 * The constitution sets up a Theocratic (Islamic) Republic
 * Roles of the Branches
 * Executive:
 * The supreme leader holds almost all power
 * Expediancy Council
 * Can resovle differences between the Guardian Council and the legislature (Majles)
 * Nominated by the supreme leader
 * Judiciary:
 * Based on a slightly broad interpretation of Shari'a Law
 * The executive completely controls the judicial decision-making policies
 * Legislature:
 * elected by both male and female citizens (free elections, as promised in constitution)
 * unicameral
 * exercises a considerable amount of power
 * Subnational Government
 * Highly centralized government
 * Subunits have elected officials, although this wasn't put into practice until 1999
 * Limits on the Government
 * The Legislature is constitutionally designed to counter the power of the government
 * The Assembly of Religious Experts checks the Supreme Leader
 * The Majles checks the Cabinet
 * Constitution in reality
 * The Constitution is actually followed in general, as it allows for a paradox of westernization and theocracy
 * Also, the Supreme Leader's power is already spelled out in the Constitution
 * Executive
 * President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: President Ahmadinejad, the sixth President of Iran, was first elected in 2005, and then again in 2009. Much controversy surrounds the election because of theories of corruption and fraud in the voting -- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared the election to be valid. Mr. Ahmadinejad was the son of a blacksmith, born in 1956 in Garmsar. He holds a PHd in traffic and transport from Tehran's University of Science and Technology. He was appointed mayor of Tehran in 2003 but was otherwise quite unknown.
 * Issues:
 * Ahmadinejad has been very insistent upon the use of Iran's nuclear program
 * There is very much anti-semite feeling in Ahmadinejad
 * Women's rights have improved under his rule
 * Important Leaders:
 * Safavids (1501-1722)
 * introduced Shi'i Islam to Iran
 * Qajars (1794-1925)
 * made Shi'ism state religion but also somewhat ruined Iran's economy
 * Pahlavs (1925-1979)
 * created a more secularized, modernized state but created cause for revolution
 * Ayatollah Khomeini (1979-1989)
 * created the Islamic theocratic state known as Iran in the modern day
 * arguably most Islamic state
 * Role of Cabinet
 * do the day to day work of the government
 * Role of Beaurocracy
 * doubled since 1979
 * dominated by clergy
 * new ministries
 * culture and Islamic guidance
 * intelligence
 * heavy industry
 * reconstruction
 * Legislative
 * how are laws passed?
 * laws are enacted and changed by the Majles
 * laws passed by the Majles are approved by the Guardian Council
 * role:
 * change government budgets, criticize cabinet policies, modify development plans, and force president to replace his ministers
 * relationship to executive:
 * has been a rubber stamp institution but recently stopped some Supreme Leader legislation from passing
 * Other:
 * military and police:
 * Regular Army: protects Iran from external enemies
 * Islamic Revolutionary Guard: protects Iran from internal enemies
 * Basij: uses violent means to stop protests or speaking out against the government
 * Comparative Context:
 * Iran is unique because of its Supreme Leader controlling almost the entire government, and its infusion of Islam into a previously Westernized government; Iran is a paradoxical government
 * Iran is similar to countries such as Russia and Nigeria because of its strong centralized government, as well as a powerful central leader
 * Level of Democracy:
 * disputes, especially between the government and the civilians, are not resolved peacefully
 * there are periodic elections, but the election of 2009 was neither free nor fair, although they normally are
 * civil liberties are limited by institutions such as the Basij
 * the judiciary acts as a rubber stamp institution
 * the military is not controlled by the civilian government, but by the Supreme Leader
 * government is not transparent and it does not hold executives, especially the Supreme Leader, accountable
 * Politcal parties are limited by government institutions
 * most developed countries do not view Iran as a democratic country
 * Legitimacy:
 * Iran had recieved legitimacy from a charismatic leader, Ayatollah Al Khomeini, but Ali Khameini lacks the magnetism of Khomeini
 * does not have the same academic credentials
 * Iran-Iraq war ended
 * World Oil prices are falling
 * Transparency:
 * Iran is not very transparent
 * censorship of media
 * government policies and functions are hidden from civilians
 * Rate of corruption: 2.9
 * [[image:http://www.nathangonzalez.com/Iran_Government_Organizational_Chart_files/droppedImage.jpg width="743" height="451" align="left"]]