Neo-Prebendalism and Development Dilemma: A Theoretical Introduction for Understanding the Political Economy of Development Suspension in Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Ph.D., Political Science, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Although the question about paths and possibilities of development in Iran has been one of the main questions in the minds of Iranian social and political scientists, the answer has yet to be found. This paper examines Iran’s underdevelopment problem from a new perspective. The author adopts the term Prebendalism from Max Weber and Richard Joseph and develops it to the theory of neo-prebendalism for understanding causes of underdevelopment in Iran. Neo-prebendalism means allocation of public resources to the private interests of political-economic elites which act systematically, institutionally and legally through the triple of bankocracy, uncompetitive market society and undeserved legalized rights. This mechanism hinders the formation of developmental state and reproduces development suspension in Iran.

Keywords

Main Subjects


References
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