The 1979 Iranian Revolution: A Study in the Role of Culture in the Modernization of Traditional Societies

The 1979 Xranian Revolution is an effective iliustration of how the forces of tradition and culture within a society possess the potentiai to react against a modemizing regime, The Theory of Modemization supports this contention, concluding that modemization within traditional society, especially when pursued at a rapid tempo can lead to upheaval and unrest. The Pahlavi dynasty in Iran utilized Western aid and influence to rapidly modernize Iran economically, while omitting any political modemization. The 1979 Revolution was inspired in part by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and the aiienated Islamic clergy, who politically mobilized the populace and directed them against the govemment of Mohammad Reza Shah. This study argues that in a modernizhg society, the populace must be granted institutions for interest articulation to guarantee that indigenous culture and tradition are given a voice. This will ensure that upheaval does not ensue during the modernization process.