The Revolution and Rural Society

Abstract

After the Islamic Revolution new social and structural forces came into play, resulting in a certain transformation of the agrarian structure and the adoption of specific policies in the rural sector. This chapter reviews these policies and structural transformations. The discussion is organised into three main sections. The first deals with the postrevolutionary reforms. The second discusses the reorganisation of the prerevolutionary agricultural administration, the establishment of a revolutionary organisation (Jihad) for rural development, the creation of mosha cooperatives and the establishment of rural councils. The third section analyses the effect of the government’s agricultural policies and other factors on agricultural output. The discussion focuses on fiscal policies and their effect on capital formation, land- and water-use policies and their role in the increase of cultivated areas, and support policies such as provision and pricing policies for agricultural growth.