Constitutionalism, Absolutism, And Modern Islamism

The 20th century is an important phase of historical development of Iran in which the core content lies at the transition from traditional society to modern society or the profound revolution in various aspects of the process of modernization. In the long process of modernization, constitutionalism, absolutism and modern Islamism constitute the trilogy in the political development course of Iran in 20th century. The alternation of these three political patterns is the historical track of the development of political modernization of Iran in 20th century. The fierce conflict between democracy and autocracy, the rivalry between secular politics and religious politics as well as the intricate interweaving between political turbulence and political stability constitute the prominent character of the process of political modernization of Iran in 20th century. The constitutional movement during 1905 to 1911 was rooted from the deep crisis of Iranian traditional society at the end of Qajar Dynasty which emphasizes restraining monarchical power and enlarging political participation of people so as to reform Iranian traditional society. It is characterized with modern political movement marking the first bout between democracy and autocracy. The explosion of constitutional movement during 1905 to 1911 and the birth of 1906 Constitution constitute the starting point of the process of political modernization of Iran. The inflation of secular politics in Pahlavi Dynasty is with no doubt one important step in the modernization process of Iran, thus Pahlavi Empire becomes the typical representative of secular politics in the modernization process of Iran. In the framework of totalitarian politics, the reforming measures of two monarchical sovereigns across the board result in the profound revolution in the economic and social field of Iran thus laying the important historical foundation to the process of political modernization of Iran. The surge of modern Islamism, the break-out of Islamic revolution during 1977 to 1979 and the start-up of modern religious politics in Khomeini Times, as the logical result of increasing inflation of secular politics in Pahlavi Times and historical movements across the board, collectively reflect the conflicts between democracy and autocracy marking the wide practices of religious politics in modern Iranian society. The contradictory movement between secular politics and religious politics, namely the decline of the traditional Shi'ite religious force in Pahlavi Times, strengthening of secular politics and the wide development of modern religious politics in Khomeini Times constitute the historical model of political modernization of Iran. The destruction of Pahlavi Dynasty explores the road for the maturity of modern political model of Iran and the wide political participation of people. The alleged Crown Replaced by Kerchief marks a brand new phase of political modernization of Iran. The Velayat-e Faqih system established by Khomeini is the intermediate procedure in the transition from traditional model to modern model of Iranian political system and also the one connecting monarchy with democracy other than the reverse movement in the modernization process of Iran. There are some similarities in the Constitution of the Iranian Islamic Republic and 1906 Constitution. They confirm the jurists'supreme status with the law. However Iran passed through Pahlavi Dynasty,they are differen in essence. In post-Khomeini Times, the constant adjustment of Velayat-e Faqih system and increasing development of electoral politics as well as the preliminary political tendency of secularization, as the logical result of increasing loose in political environment of Islamic Republic of Iran indicates a great progress in the political life of Iran. This paper, cutting into the ordinal alternation of three political patterns constitutionalism, absolutism and modern Islamism and combining the particular political environment and historical background of Iran, discusses the historical model in political aspect in the modernization process of Iran thus to reveal the development track of political modernization of Iran.This paper is divided into three chapters excluding the prelude and conclusion. The prelude part includes subject implications, research summary and research method etc.Chapter 1 mainly introduces the traditional order of Qajar Dynasty as well as various results from western strikes, such as the intense revolutions in Iranian society thus to clarify that the deep crisis at the end of Qajar Dynasty forms the historical background for the explosion of constitutional movement during 1905 to 1911. From the break-out of constitutional movement, the birth of 1906 Constitution as well as the ensued fierce competition between new and old forces, this paper explains how constitutional movement constructs the modern political framework of Iran.Chapter 2 mainly discusses the governance mode of absolutism of two monarchical sovereigns in Pahlavi Dynasty. Through the tracing of reforms and changes in economic and social orders to construct the totalitarian politics of Emperor Reza Khan and Pahlavi and strengthen the national power, this paper explains the totalitarian politics of two generations in Pahlavi Dynasty is a paradox development phase in the process of political modernization of Iran, and the inflation of totalitarian politics and the great progress in modernization of political and economic fields eventually paves road for the surge of modern Islamism.Chapter 3 mainly probes into the surge of modern Islamism, break-out of Islam Revolution, practices of modern religious politics in Khomeini Times as well as the political development track of Republic of Islam in post-Khomeini Times. In Pahlavi Times, the great progress in modernization and the fierce rivalry between new and old social forces with no doubt constitutes the objective basis of decline of traditional religious politics and the surge of modern religious politics. The wide practices of modern religious politics in Khomeini Times deny the political system of monarchical autocracy laying foundation for the arrival of democracy. At last, this chapter from the rivalry between secular politics and religious politics discusses the political development trend of Republic of Islam after Khomeini Times.In the end the conclusion sums up the above three chapters: the three political pattern constitutionalism, absolutism and modern Islamism each play a very important role in the modernization process of Iran. These three doctrines do not exist independently instead they have close interior relations with one and another. It is the alternation of them that forms the historical track of political modernization of Iran resulting in the development of political modernization of Iran and enhancing the historical development of Iran.