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Causes of the Iranian Revolution (Out of touch leadership (The Shah…
Causes of the Iranian Revolution
Out of touch leadership
The Shah created an Iran, which seemed modern from the Outside but there was actually huge objection to his enforced modernization in Iran.
Instead of listening to what the opposition had to say, their voices were quickly crushed by the government.
Moves towards a secular Iran angered many Iranian traditionalists.
Not everyone viewed America's influence in Iran and on the Shah in a positive light.
The Shah greatly underestimated the importance of religion in Iran and the influence that religious leaders could have on the population.
Economic uncertainty
Far from benefitting everyone, the Shah's economic reforms created a wider wealth gap between the rich and the poor.
By the late 1970's, widespread inflation (things start to become very expensive) caused factory workers to go on strike.
Wealth gained from Iran's oil industry was not shared equally and went mostly to those who were already rich.
Trade with the West meant that local businesses suffered.
The Shah promised Iranians that they would be paid similar amounts to people in the West — this never happened.
Dissatisfaction with the government
The government was seen as corrupt and was not trusted to do what was right for the public.
The public felt that the Shah was only out to serve himself and make himself richer.
The government was accused of misusing the money that came into the country from exporting large amounts of oil.
Although the Shah tried to show the West that Iran was a democracy, in reality, he was a dictator who had total control of the country.
Many saw the Shah as simply a puppet of the West and not someone who had only Iran's interests at heart.
A suffering population
Modernization was welcomed by the wealthy elite but horrified the largely rural population of Iran.
Despite women enjoying freedom of dress — this did not appeal to many women who wanted to wear traditional Islamic clothes but felt they now couldn't.
Despite educational reforms, which helped the wealthy, and middle classes, much of the rural population still suffered with illiteracy.
People did not have any freedom of speech because of the Shah' secret police — SAVAK who could imprison or torture you if you spoke out against the government.
There was widespread censorship of the media.
Ayatollah Khomeini
Wanting to replace Iran's millennia-old monarchy with theocracy.
Lead people to oppose the Shah, and made the shah left the country
Raise awareness to people what the shah has been doing wrong and starts protesting
Gaining people's trust by doing speeches, and make his supporter talk about the bad thing that Shah does