Today, there are few states which follow the elements of theocracy as the basic rules and principles for governing. Theocracy depends on governing the state according to the religious laws as the major legal code. In this case, the religious leader becomes the ruler of the whole state.
In his article “Religion and Politics in Iran: How Theocratic Is the Islamic Republic?”, Chehabi states that the Islamic Republic of Iran can be discussed as theocracy, but a lot of issues in organizing the effective authority and control, the opposition between the clerisy and clergy accentuate the superficial success of the revolution which has led to maintaining theocracy at these territories (Chehabi).
Thus, the Islamic Republic of Iran is theocracy, but it is characterized by a lot of specific features which make this organization rather fragile under the threat of political conflicts and the development of definite secular traditions within the society.
The political system of Iran was changed into the Islamic Republic with the elements of theocracy after the successful revolutionary reorganizations realized by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979-1978. Khomeini declared the main alternations with references to the principles fixed in his Doctrine which was developed during the period of his exile from the country.
Focusing on Shi’ism as the main religion of the state, Khomeini accentuated not only the respect for religion and divine laws but also the interconnection of the religion and authority. Being opposed in his visions to the Shah Muhammad Reza Pahlavi, Khomeini developed the idea of the religious associations as related to the certain oppositional activities (Chehabi 74).
The main accents were made on the activity of the faqih as the successor to the Prophet and the Imams and on the experts’ functions as regulators (Chehabi 77). The organization based on the rule of the clerical leader provoked the progress of oppositions between the clerisy and the independent clergy.
Chehabi pays attention to the fact that during the rule of Khomeini who became the first faqih, the opposition was not so obvious because of the impact of Khomeini’s authority, but a lot of challenges and controversial issues were revealed after his death (Chehabi 77-78).
It is significant to focus on the fact that the development of the theocratic state is associated with many issues. Thus, the authority of the supreme religious leader with references to the clerisy is impugned by the clergy; the organization of the political system which is based on the religious principles can lead to the crisis of legitimacy; the necessity to follow the divine law as the source of all the laws in the state can result in the requirement to obey the absolute ruler (Chehabi).
In spite of the efforts to establish the ideal combination of the religious rule and powerful governing, the attempts to create the theocratic state resulted in the fact that politics became religious, and religion was politicized (Chehabi 78).
The Islamic Republic of Iran became the theocratic state as a result of the revolutionary activity of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during the period of 1979-1978.
Although the main principles of governing the state were clearly stated in Khomeini’s Doctrine, the real regime was challenged by a lot of issues connected with the division of powers within the state among the representatives of the clerisy and traditionally independent clergy.
Work Cited
Chehabi, Houchang. “Religion and Politics in Iran: How Theocratic Is the Islamic Republic?” Daedalus 120.3 (1991): 69-91. Print.