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10 - Intra-elite Dynamics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 August 2023

Mehran Kamrava
Affiliation:
Georgetown University, Qatar
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Summary

Far from undermining it, factionalism actually keeps the Islamic Republic state flexible and dynamic, therefore helping its resilience. States, authoritarian or otherwise, preside over societies in which a majority of the population is politically ambivalent. Among those who are politically aware, and even among those only tangentially interested in politics, factionalism allows the state to expand the scope of its ideological appeal. It also prevents political elites from taking for granted their hold on power, forcing them to forge and maintain bonds with intended constituents. In Iran, political power is held among a relatively small group of elites. But this elite is far from static. It circulates from office to office, and groups within it often change their doctrinal inflections, factional positions, and coalition partners. The ensuing dynamism helps the system endure.

Type
Chapter
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Righteous Politics
Power and Resilience in Iran
, pp. 266 - 299
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • Intra-elite Dynamics
  • Mehran Kamrava, Georgetown University, Qatar
  • Book: Righteous Politics
  • Online publication: 10 August 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009362023.011
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  • Intra-elite Dynamics
  • Mehran Kamrava, Georgetown University, Qatar
  • Book: Righteous Politics
  • Online publication: 10 August 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009362023.011
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Intra-elite Dynamics
  • Mehran Kamrava, Georgetown University, Qatar
  • Book: Righteous Politics
  • Online publication: 10 August 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009362023.011
Available formats
×