Fluid History: Oil Workers and the Iranian Revolution

Abstract

The Iranian revolution is mostly associated with mass demonstrations as its mode of mobilization and with the clerics as its leading actors. Jafari’s historical account of the oil strikes turns our attention to a less known aspect of the revolution. He argues that these were key to the development of dual power in January 1979 and that, by taking control of them, Khomeini was able to determine the outcome of the revolution. This stresses the political rather than the religious character of the revolution, and discloses its contingent nature, which suggests the possibility of other outcomes.