Dislocation of the state and the emergence of factional politics in post-revolutionary Iran

This paper undertakes a political analysis of the causes of the emergence of political factions and its implication in post-revolutionary Iran, The mutual relationship of the dislocation of the Iranian state within its regional and international setting and its implications with intensifying political factionalism is analysed using a modified world system perspective. It is argued that this dislocation reflected the revolutionary reaction against external domination and dissatisfaction with the internal status quo. Any attempt at the restoration of a normal relationship with the core countries has been helped by factional power struggles. Post-revolutionary politics has been the scene of clashes between left and right factions that has caused political uncertainty, reflecting the dislocation of the post-revolutionary state in the world-system. The paper demonstrates that the political charismatic authority undermined political stability by dissolving the institutions of the old regime, generating conflicts, and challenging in domestic, regional and international affairs. In addition, the emergence of political factionalism prevented the establishment of a unified and dominant political and economic approach inside the country non-hostile to the world-system. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.