former president known for his moderate and pragmatic views, who ran in 2005 and made it to the run-offs in the election (where he lost to Ahmadinejad) the former believe that the political system needs significant reform, although they disagree on exactly what these reforms should be; the latter uphold the principles of the regime as set up in 1979, with no influence from western countries an economy heavily supported by state expenditure, while the state receives rent from other countries formed by Muhammad Reza Shah; declared Iran to be a one-party state with him as its head transformed the legitimacy of the state, anchoring it once again in principles of Shiism; birth of the Constitution of 1979 theory that states that revolutions are most likely to occur when people are doing better than they once were, but some type of setback happens (Iran fits this classic model in the early days of 1979) an elite military force whose commanders are appointed by the supreme leader, immediately established after the Revolution of 1979 the first shah of the Pahlavi state who came to power via a coup d'état against the weakened political state in 1921; established an authoritarian rule began in the 16th century; converted nearly 90% of their subjects to Shiism; tolerated the Sunnis and other religious groups; claimed absolute power, but lacked a central state the belief that religion and government should be separated

1. Akbar Hasemi Rafsanjani

former president known for his moderate and pragmatic views, who ran in 2005 and made it to the run-offs in the election (where he lost to Ahmadinejad)

2. reformers v. conservatives

the former believe that the political system needs significant reform, although they disagree on exactly what these reforms should be; the latter uphold the principles of the regime as set up in 1979, with no influence from western countries

3. rentier state

an economy heavily supported by state expenditure, while the state receives rent from other countries

4. Resurgence Party

formed by Muhammad Reza Shah; declared Iran to be a one-party state with him as its head

5. Revolution of 1979

transformed the legitimacy of the state, anchoring it once again in principles of Shiism; birth of the Constitution of 1979

6. revolution of rising expectations

theory that states that revolutions are most likely to occur when people are doing better than they once were, but some type of setback happens (Iran fits this classic model in the early days of 1979)

7. Revolutionary Guards

an elite military force whose commanders are appointed by the supreme leader, immediately established after the Revolution of 1979

8. Reza Shah

the first shah of the Pahlavi state who came to power via a coup d'état against the weakened political state in 1921; established an authoritarian rule

9. Safavid Empire

began in the 16th century; converted nearly 90% of their subjects to Shiism; tolerated the Sunnis and other religious groups; claimed absolute power, but lacked a central state

10. secularization

the belief that religion and government should be separated