Revolution and Economic Transition

The Iranian Experience

By Hooshang Amirahmadi

Subjects: Middle East Studies
Paperback : 9780791405109, 420 pages, October 1990
Hardcover : 9780791405093, 420 pages, November 1990
Out of print (Hardcover)

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Table of contents

Tables

Figures

Abbreviations

Note on Iranian Calendar and Transliteration

Preface

1. Introduction: The Limited Transforming Potential of the Middle-Class Revolution

2. Forces Influencing the Economy

The Shah's Economic Legacy

Struggles over State Power and Social Questions

The Struggle for National Sovereignty

The Iran-Iraq War

The Oil and Saudi Factors

Capacity Underutilization and the Bottlenecks

Ideological Dislocation and Systemic Indirection

3. Economic Trends, Problems, and Policies

Domestic Production, Sectoral Shifts, and Policies

Domestic Expenditures and Fixed Capital Formation

The General Budgets and Budget Deficit

Inflation and Antiinflationary Measures

Unemployment and Sectoral Employment Shifts

Per Capita Income and Income Distribution

Provincial Development and Policies

Foreign Trade and the Balance of Payments

4. The Post-War Reconstruction

Debate on a Reconstruction Strategy

The Nature of the Reconstruction Process

Obstacles to Reconstruction

The Peace Process and Reconstruction

5. Conclusions: Empirical and Theoretical

Empirical Findings

Theoretical Conclusions

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Description

Amirahmadi focuses on the Iranian economy under the Islamic Republic, a subject that remains largely neglected in post-revolutionary Iranian research and analysis. Drawing from a wealth of primary sources, he uses an empirical-logical framework of analysis within a modified world-system perspective to offer a detailed and balanced picture of the macroeconomic trends, problems, and policies since 1976.

Hooshang Amirahmadi is Associate Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy Development, and Director of Middle Eastern Studies at Rutgers University.

Reviews

"This book is timely, analytical and comprehensive, and will fill a serious gap in our knowledge of the Islamic Republic. " — Abbas Alnasrawi, Department of Economics, University of Vermont

"The topic is significant inasmuch as there has been considerable speculation about Iran's economic policies and capacities but very little hard data about trends and policies. The debate about and speculation over economics has been linked to discussions about the nature, course and outcome of the Iranian revolution. Amirahmadi contributes to these debates, both theoretically and empirically.

"The book is tremendously useful, not only for its scrupulous account of post-revolutionary economic trends, but also for its extensive bibliography, use of wide array of primary and secondary sources (sources generally unavailable, inaccessible, or difficult-to-obtain from Iran, and interviews), and its combination of theory, method, description, and policy recommendations. It is bound to be recognized as a major resource and reference book. The book is original, well researched, thorough, readable, and authoritative. " — Valentine M. Moghadam, World Institute for Development Economics Research