Poverty and Deprivation Problems in Post-Revolutionary Iran

Abstract:

This article examines both the positive and negative aspects of the performance of various governmental poverty elimination institutions and organizations during forty years of the Islamic Republic (1980–2020). Statistics and data show that after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, primarily due to the subsidy for essential goods and the support system based on cash subsidies, extreme poverty decreased dramatically. However, the persistence of relative poverty in society continues to be noticeable, primarily due, after 2010, to international sanctions–and their economic impact–imposed on Iran over its nuclear program. In general, the negative economic factors have reduced the effect of poverty alleviation plans. In addition, weakness in policy coordination among different institutions and programs of poverty eradication and no political will to eliminate the causes of poverty by turning to a sustainable pattern of development also have contributed increasing poverty.

Key Words:

• Iran
• poverty
• poverty eradication
• sustainable development

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our appreciation to Professor Mahmoud Ghazi Tabatabai and Professor Mostafa Azkia for their thoughtful criticisms and helpful suggestions.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) (1992) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3–14 June.

2 2 United Nations General Assembly Conference (2015) Transforming our World: The 2030, Agenda for Sustainable Development, 25 September.

3 See further Imam Ruhollah Khomeini (1999) Collection of Works of Imam Khomeini (Tehran: Center for Organizing and Publishing the Works of Imam Khomeini).

4 Ahmad Ashraf & Ali Banuazizi (2014) Social Classes, Government and Revolution in Iran translated into Persian by Sohaila T. Farsani, 3rd ed. (Tehran: Niloufar), p. 108; and Hossain Azimi Arani (1992) Underdeveloped Circuits in the Iranian Economy (Tehran: Ney Publishing).

5 Mohadeseh Safshekan (2021) National Report on Poverty and Inequality in Iran: Between 2001 and 2017 (Tehran: Social Security Organization Research Institute), p. 79.

6 Azimi Arani, Iranian Economy, p. 92.

7 Farshad Momeni (2007) Iran's Economy in the Period of Structural Adjustment (Tehran: Naghsh and Negar), pp. 113–146.

8 Safshekan, National Report on Poverty and Inequality in Iran, p. 188.

9 Zahra Shahidi & Zahra Kaviani (2021) ‘poverty in 2020’ (Tehran: Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare), p. 9.

10 Ibid.

11 Ibid, p. 11.

12 People deprived of at least one aspect of housing (access to water, access to sanitation, adequate living space, sustainable housing and security).

13 Azadeh Shahab (2021) ‘Housing poverty’ (Tehran: Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare) p. 10.

14 Infant mortality rate, under-5 mortality rate, maternal mortality rate from pregnancy and childbirth complications, and life expectancy at birth.

15 Zahra Gharibnavaz (2021) ‘Health poverty in Iran’ (Tehran: Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare), p. 11.

16 Ibid.

17 Ali Shakoori (2001) The State and Rural Development in the Pre-revolutionary (London: Palgrave).

18 Mohammad Rezvani (2019) An Analysis of Urban and Rural Inequality in Iran and Its Pathological Consequences (Tehran: Agah Publications).

19 Vahab Mirbagheri & Mehran Nasiri & Jahanbakhsh Emami & Seyd Masud Hosseini& Hoda Asadi (2016) Situation of rural area in Iran (Tehran: Islamic Parliament Research Center), p. 21.

20 Mohammad Tabibian (2000) Preparation Studies for the Development of the Third Economic, Social and Cultural Development Plan of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Tehran: Institute of Research in Planning and Development) vol. 5; and Hossain Raghfar & Zahra Ebrahimi (2007) Poverty Measurement in Iran during 1989–2004,’ in Social Welfare, 6 (24), pp. 55–82; Safshekan, National Report on Poverty and Inequality in Iran, p. 82; and Statistics Center of Iran (2013) and (2016).

21 Mahdi Talib, Sedigheh Piri and Sommayeh Mohammadi (2011) ‘Meta-analysis of studies about poverty in rural societies of Iran, Community Development 2(2), pp. 23–40.

22 Mostafa Azkia (2005) Poverty, Vulnerability and Development: Case Study of the Garmsar and Dasht-e Azadegan Villages, Social Science Letter 14 (1), pp. 109–125.

23 Safshekan, National Report on Poverty and Inequality in Iran, p. 204.

24 Jaleh Shadi Taleb & Alireza Garainejad (2004) ‘The Poverty of Female Headed Households,’ Woman in Development and Politics (Women’s Research) 2 (1), pp. 49–70.

25 Ashraf and Banuazizi, Iranian Economy, p. 107.

26 Safshekan, National Report on Poverty and Inequality in Iran, p. 29.

27 Ibid, pp. 29,79 and 81; and Moosa Anbari (2017) Explanation of Social Happiness in Iran (Tehran: Tehran University Press), p. 87; and Statistical Center of Iran (2016).

28 Sedigheh Piri (2010), Explaining the Social Structure of Poverty from the Perspective of Rural Poor, Master of Art Thesis, University of Tehran.

29 Taghi Azadarmaki (2000) Foresight of the People of Tehran, Concerns and the Future (Tehran: Institute of Social Studies and Research, University of Tehran).

30 Social Monitoring Center, Ministry of Interior (2015) National Survey on the Status of Social Issues and Injuries (Tehran: Research Center for Culture, Art and Communications).

31 Abhijit V. Banerjee & Esther Duflo (2019) Good Economics for Hard Times (New York: Public Affairs Publication).