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Islamic revolution and Anfal

Author

Listed:
  • Mehrdad Vahabi

    (University of Sorbonne Paris Nord)

Abstract

The Islamic revolution is nothing but Islamic revivalism or the establishment of an Islamic state based on Sharia. In this paper, I focus on the Islamic revolution in Iran that has been exceptionally considered as a ‘social revolution’ targeting an overhaul of the economic institutions. Can the economic model of Islamic revivalism be reduced to one of the principal dichotomous models of state socialism or free market economy as suggested by many economists? It will be shown that Anfal or the Imam’s exclusive property over all public properties known as res nullius has been the major invention of the Islamic revivalism in Iran. This provides an independent Islamic model that has been left unnoticed by specialists in Islamic economics that can be characterized as a specific economic system, namely Islamic political capitalism. This system is not reducible to state socialism or competitive free markets. This paper fills the gap and demonstrates that Anfal institutionalizes a confiscatory regime enhancing a rent-seeking society hindering private property rights and competitive free markets.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehrdad Vahabi, 2024. "Islamic revolution and Anfal," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 200(3), pages 383-401, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:200:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s11127-023-01129-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-023-01129-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mehrdad Vahabi, 2023. "Destructive Coordination, Anfal and Islamic Political Capitalism," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-031-17674-6, February.
    2. Timur Kuran, 2018. "Islam and Economic Performance: Historical and Contemporary Links," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 56(4), pages 1292-1359, December.
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    6. Vuk Vukovic, 2021. "The politics of bailouts: Estimating the causal effects of political connections on corporate bailouts during the 2008–2009 US financial crisis," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 189(1), pages 213-238, October.
    7. Kayhan Valadbaygi, 2021. "Hybrid Neoliberalism: Capitalist Development in Contemporary Iran," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(3), pages 313-327, May.
    8. Brezis, Elise S. & Cariolle, Joël, 2019. "The revolving door, state connections, and inequality of influence in the financial sector," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(4), pages 595-614, August.
    9. Kornai, Janos, 1992. "The Socialist System: The Political Economy of Communism," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198287766.
    10. Mehrdad Vahabi, 2004. "The Political Economy of Destructive Power," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 3481.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Anfal; Islamic political capitalism; Islamic revivalism; Islamic revolutions; Shiite Islam;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H10 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - General
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H13 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Economics of Eminent Domain; Expropriation; Nationalization
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • H27 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Other Sources of Revenue
    • H29 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Other
    • K11 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Property Law
    • K19 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Other
    • L32 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Public Enterprises; Public-Private Enterprises
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out
    • N45 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Asia including Middle East
    • N55 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Asia including Middle East
    • P14 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Property Rights
    • P26 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Property Rights
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies
    • P51 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems
    • P52 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Studies of Particular Economies
    • Z12 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Religion

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