Analysis of Social Capital Trends after Iran’s Islamic Revolution

AbstractContemporary Iran has undergone many small and large transformations at the structural, process and agency levels. This article attempts to present a picture of social relations in Iran after ther 1979 Revolution by using the construct of social capital and its ups and downs. The evidence presented in this article shows that at times conditions have improved and steps have been taken to strengthen social capital, for example in the years 1998–2005, 2010 and 2013, when moderate governments were in office, the conditions and atmosphere of optimism were strengthened and the fields of economics, politics and social interactions became more prosperous. However, none of these conditions have continued. Promises made have not been fulfilled and, more importantly, negating the past, ignoring the efforts made, not allowing accumulation, and not building the ladder of social progress are all contributors to the decline of social capital in Iran.Key Words: GovernmentIranJusticeParticipationSocial CapitalTrust AcknowledgementsI feel it is my duty to express my utmost gratitude to the respected professor, Dr. Mustafa Azkia of Tehran University, who provided the opportunity to compile and publish this article. Also, I am extremely grateful to Dr. Alireza Mohseni Tabrizi and Dr. Kush Gorji Sefat in the Department of Sociology at Tehran University. They read earlier versions of the manuscript, and their constructive comments were of tremendous help for improving it.Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.Notes1 Mostefa Azkia & Ahmad Firousabadi (Citation2006) The Role of Social Capital in the Creation of Rural Production Associations: A Case Study of the Karkheh Dam Watershed Basin, Critique: Critical Middle Eastern Studies, 15(3), p. 296.2 Emile Durkheim (Citation2013) The Division of Labour in Society,’ trans. by W. D. Halls; ed. & intro. by S. Lukes, p. 178 (London: Palgrave Macmillan).3 Alexis De Tocqueville ([1840]/2000) Democracy in America, trans., ed. & intro. by Harvey C. Mansfield and Delba Winthrop, p. 486 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press).4 Robert D. Putnam (Citation2007) E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the Twenty-first Century The 2006 Johan Skytte Prize Lecture, Scandinavian Political Studies, 30(2), p. 137.5 Hilde Coffé & Benny Geys (Citation2006) Community Heterogeneity: A Burden for the Creation of Social Capital? Social Science Quarterly, 87(5), p. 1055.6 Behrooz Hadizonooz (Citation2005) Poverty and inequality of income in Iran, Social Welfare Quarterly, 4(17), p. 187. [in Persian].7 Ibid.8 Robert D. Putnam and Kristin A. Goss (Citation2002) Introduction, in: Robert D. 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Evans (Citation1995) Embedded Autonomy: States and Industrial Transformation (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press).22 Abdolmohammad Kazemipour (Citation2004) Social capital in Iran: Secondary Analysis Surveys 1974 and 2003, p. 93. (Tehran: Office National Plans).