Historical Overview of Development’s Impact on Rural and Urban Governance in Iran

Abstract:The constitutional revolution in 1906 was the beginning of a new era for Iran. A national parliament was established for making laws that established modern institutions such as city and village councils and mayors over the decades. Urban governance was renewed and the land reforms in the 1960s transformed rural governance, changed landlord– peasant relations and reduced the traditional authority of village headman (kadkhodas) in village administration. The 1979 revolution introduced a new kind of local governance, Islamic councils for governing cities and villages. This article discusses the main changes and challenges of local governance in Iran by using theoretical concepts of dependent development. The changing pattern of authority and penetration of state bureaucracy through the creation of several rural and urban organizations before and after the Revolution of 1979 is discussed. The article also explains how the establishments of these rural and urban institutions have helped to increase the domination of the state officials within both cities and villages.Key Words: BureaucracycentralismdevelopmentgovernanceIran Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 Fernando Henrique Cardoso & Enzo Faletto (Citation1979) Dependency and Development in Latin America (Berkeley: University of California Press).2 John Foran (Citation1999) Fragile Resistance: A History of Social Transformations in Iran, From the Safavid Era to the Years Following the Islamic Revolution [Persian translation by A. 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Irani], p. 66 (Tehran: the Pocket books Company).9 Fred Halliday (Citation1979) Iran, Dictatorship and Development [Persian translation by M. Yalghani and A. Tolou], p. 24 (Tehran: Elm Publications).10 Foran, op. cit., p. 339.11 Ervand Abrahamian (Citation1998) Iran Between Two Revolutions [Persian translation by A. Golmohammadi and M. A. Fatahi], p. 541 (Tehran: Nashr-e Ney Publications).12 Katouzian, “Political Economy,” p. 225.13 Jahangir Amouzgar (Citation1996) The Rise and Fall of Pahlavi Dynasty [Persian translation by A. Lotfian], p. 321 (Tehran: The Center of Book Translation and Publications).14 Fereydoun Kamran (Citation1995) Rural Development and Planning, p. 20 (Tehran: Avay-e Nour Publications).15 Abdol Ali Lahsaeizadeh (Citation1998) Sociological Study of Rural Management in Iran, in: Papers’ Collection for the First Conference on Sociology and Management, p. 403 (Tehran: Industrial Management Organization).16 Foran, ibid, p. 339.17 Ibid, p. 193.18 Fatemeh E. Moghadam (Citation1996) From Land Reform to Revolution, the Politics of Agricultural Development in Iran, 1962–1979, p. 193 (London: Tanris).19 Preamble of the Constitution: The Constitution guarantees the negation of any form of intellectual and social oppression and economic monopoly and tries to break away from the dictatorial system so as to place the destiny of people in their own hands.- Article 44 divides the economy into three sections of government, cooperatives, and the private sector:-Article 7 related with the councils.-Article 100: With a view to expending the speedy implementation of social, economic, development, health, cultural and educational plans and other welfare affairs, the management of the affairs of each village, district, city, town or province shall be carried out with the cooperation of the people, and with due consideration to the local needs, under the supervision of a Council known as Village, District, City, Town or Provincial Council whose members shall be elected by the people of the same locality.-Article 102: The High Council of the Provinces shall be allowed, within the scope of its functions, to draw up bills and propose them to the National Parliament (5) either directly or through the Government.20 Institute for Social Studies and Research of University of Tehran (Citation1974) Socio- Economic Studies of Farm Corporation in Six Regions of Iran (Tehran: Institute for Social Studies and Research Publications).21 Mostafa Azkia (Citation2016) Sociology of Development and Under Development of Rural Iran, p. 435 (Tehran: Etla′at Publications).22 Ali Shakoori (Citation2019) Rural Development in Iran: A Survey of Policies and Outcomes, Journal of Developing Societies, 35 (3), p. 347.23 Abrahamian, “Iran Between Two Revolutions,” p. 29.24 Hesbat has a historical past and was an important institution for daily life order in Islamic cities. 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