Lebanon and Iran

Oxford IB History Ch. 6.4 - Lebanon
IRL:http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/6253/World/Region/Lebanon-youths-revolt-against-confessional-system.aspx
This is beneficiary to what we are learning because it discusses the confessional system of Lebanon. Even today the confessional system still stands that there needs to one Maronite, Shi’a and one Shiite in power in order to maintain peace. However, what brings value to this article is the fact that the youth, through facebook want change. They don’t wish to have this system anymore. The purpose of this article is to discuss the long rode ahead to create change in Lebanon and veer away from the deep embedded confessional system that infiltrates daily activities.

a. civil wars - why? who was on each side? who won? did either side have outside help? what was the regional or world context while the civil war(s) was/were being fought?
*Lebanese Civil War->triggered by Sidon incident 1975->Muslim fishermen threatened by Maronite fishermen->demonstration turned violent (short term) and social tension/divisions of the 1970s (long term), assassination attempt on the Phalangst which brought Beirut into a state of war (short term)
-weak central government which couldn’t maintain authority over their people
-domestic tensions (ideological, religious, and ethical)
-outsiders intervened
-National Pact: unequal representation of Parliment; Christians held political power due to a 1932 census. “Pragmatic representation system” which ensured that a Maronite was president, Suni Muslim was Prime Minister, and Speaker of Parliament is Shi’a Muslim, Maronite is in charge of army. Tried to “protect the religious community by rejecting proportional representation but rather focus on demographics.” (colonization broke equilibrium b/w Muslims and Christians(Maronites->Europeans liked them->minority).
Outcome of Nation Pact: enforced and gave permanence to the division and denied Lebanon any form of national homogeneity. Confessional division (religious division-.geographically isolated)
*Politically: each religious group was represented by its own party
*The peaceful coexistence of the communities was dependent on National Pact, geographic, and unchanging demographics.
* The peaceful coexistence was altered after independence because the stability was based upon 1932 census demographics and post-independence saw a shift in demographics, geographic shifts, and brought the National Pact under question.
* Destabilized equilibrium: increasing presence of Palestine, presence of the PLO as a political organization, migration of the Shi’a community towards North Lebanon.
*Maronites felt they were a better fit to rule Lebanon than the Muslims (bitterness)

b. outside interference and reconstruction - post-civil war; explain...
Palestinians :
Black Sept-> Palestine community of Jordan and the PLO used Lebanon as their new place to reside->increased Muslim pop. thus upsetting the equilibrium again). PLO in Lebanon was the base to launch attacks Israel->brought unwanted politics into country and raids from Israel->Lebanon lost sovereignty in this situation and can’t defend themselves bc barely any army (Lebanese gov’t undermined-> illegitimate)
Israel:
-Operation Litani->UN makes them withdraw troops. However, it allowed Israel to maintain a force on a 12-mile stretch on the Israeli-Lebanon border. Also the creation of the South Lebanon Army.
-1982 dissatisfied so wanted to invade again->Operation Peace: main goal was to widen their security zone in South Lebanon. However, they really wanted to target PLO headquarters and Beirut. ->Success in pushing PLO out of Lebanon, casualties on both sides. Left soon after slowly.
-1989 Arab League stepped in as a broker for Lebanon peace
-Taif Agreement: maintained the “pragmatic representation system” of the Nat. Pact but increase of power for the Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament. Disbandment of all militias (Hezabollah not)


c. confessional state - explain...
-A confessional state is a state which officially practices a particular religion, and at least encourages its citizens to do likewise.
-politics controlled by it-> representation of religions in parties
-demographic ratios important it thus allowed for no national homogeneity
-geographically placed as well
Christians: Phalange Party
-sovereignty and Independence of Lebanon. Ideologically this party stood on the right
-that the Palestine's were undermining their power and brought the unwanted Arab-Israeli Crisis into their country. Later in the years->Lebanese United Front and South Lebanon Army. Maintain National Pact
The Druze: Minority Muslim Group=Progressive Socialist Party
-Get rid of National Pact. Defended the Palestine's because they didn’t like Israel either. Fought alongside the PLO
Shi’a’s:Amal and Hezabollah
-expulsions of all foreign forces in Lebanon.
-Hezzabollah’s main target was Israel



d. economic tensions - why? who benefited? who suffered? what changes took place?
-Sidon conflict->fisheries in danger and a protest occurred
-Palestians took jobs which angered the Shi’as
-Shi’as in the “poverty-belt”

e. growth of militias and PLO - who joined? why? goals? successes? failures?
- 1967 the PLO: primary goal was the destruction of the state of Israel.
-Most notable of these groups were the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command, and al-Fatah. Each of these factions remained more-or-less under the umbrella of the PLO and never strayed too far from the fold.


Oxford IB History Ch. 6.5 - Iran
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iran/index.html
This site is valuable to me since it actually discusses the 1979 revolution. The purpose is to discuss the tensions and riots in Iran which have been crushed by the Iranian government. The leaders and the government are embarrassed by these displays of unrest and discontent and therefore deal with the ‘revolutionary ideas’ in a way that consists of tear gas, arrests, and beatings. The limitations of this article is that it does not give the protesters viewpoints; which would be beneficiary to add to the depths of the article itself.
a. explain how Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi modernized and Westernized Iran - give specific examples! why did he do this? how did different groups benefit or suffer under the reforms? how did the people of Iran respond?
-First aim was to modernize the country
-1959: bilateral defense treaty with the US->Iran got weaponry and US sent over advisers and business interests->outcome: the more educated and poltically active members of society were offended since they believed the US to be the main perpetrator of the coup d’ etat
-Capitulation laws: (vouch for the security of the US) US doesn’t need to follow Iranian law->Iranians outraged
-1955 aligned himself in the Baghdad Pact (Central Org. Treaty)
-1947 signed an agreement with the US->extended offer of war time pact and offered their military aid (only they could help) and their training.
-Tudeh activists in prison->clears way for Western sphere of influence
-Point Four Program with the US->beginning of the US’s political, social, and economic influence on Iran. Through the employment of US consultants in different fields it est. a pattern for modernization and westernization according to the US model. U.S. foreign aid project aimed at providing technological skills, knowledge, and equipment to poor nations throughout the world. The program also encouraged the flow of private investment capital to these nations.
-Development Plan 1948-55
-Plan Organization->administrate Iran’s modernization and development programs (increase oil revenue to finance projects)
-Part 5 of the White Revolution reforms in the electoral laws: voting rights to women, introduced suffrage movement. Modernize Iran and give women equal status
-From the outside the economy looked to be modernizing (petrol boom of 1970->(badly managed)->better health facilities thus giving way to a larger population->industrialization
-had one of the strongest and better equipped armies in the region (thanks to the US)
-edu. was getting better
-The Shah’s dream of Iran becoming a major industrial and military power is a long-term thing that caused him to fall from power
- Through the modernization process, regime pushed aside the traditional merchant class (resented modernization) and forced the poorer peasants into becoming migrant workers. (suffered and their standard of living went down)
-middle class benefited eco. from modernization but not politically



b. impact of Western influence - again, how did different groups respond? what benefits and drawbacks were there
-National Front Coalition->formed up in the wake of rising nationalist sentiments. It opposed the AIOC, which they regarded as the symbol of Iran’s subordination to British interests.
-resentment of foreign domination->united the people and gave support to Nat. Coalition Front
-Operation Ajax->GB and the US intervened in Iran’s internal affairs. Anti-Mossadegh campaign, often times accusing him of being pro-communist, and blaming him for the bad economy. Paid people to demonstrate in the streets against him. Outcome->Mossadegh in prison, Tudeh members and Nat. Front members in jail as well.
-urban middle and upper class portrayed the American model of life through: media, music, and dress. The traditional classes this infringed on their values and identies.

c. White Revolution - explain who led the revolution; why did they revolt? who in society were their supporters? did they have outside help? how successful were they? why were they successful (or not)?
-(starting point to modern history of Iran) Shah launched the revolution-> it’s what he called his reforms . Consisted of 6 points:
1.) Land Reform:government bought land->gave to peasants at low price. Aim is to redistribute land and give peasants a subsistence way of life.
2.) Nationalizations of pastures and forests. Government took control and planted to create a green belt around the cities. Aim->protect natural resources and plant forests where they were needed.
3.) Privatization of government: aim was to speed up industrialization process bc created new class of factory workers. Was able to finance land reform.
4.) Profit-sharing for the industrial workers: aim-> was to raise productivity through higher incentives.
5.) reforms in the electoral laws: voting rights to women, introduced suffrage movement. Modernize Iran and give women equal status
6.) Formation of Literacy Corps.: as part of the military service (and later women) were sent to villages as teachers. Aim: lower illiteracy
*People voted in favor to it. Some people however felt that this didn’t bring up the socio-economic change they desired. Land reform was not so good because land owners found ways around it and the peasants ended up moving to cities to live in poverty. Little infrastructure was made available for the literacy to go up. -The White Revolution was not liked in the regard that they disliked the land reform and the fact women could vote. Leader went to jail because he openly opposed these->violent demonstrations.

d. nature of society - explain:
i. religious issues
-The White Revolution was not liked in the regard that they disliked the land reform and the fact women could vote. Leader went to jail because he openly opposed these->violent demonstrations.
-rapid modernization=disrespect and attack on Iran’s religious traditional past
ii. gender issues:
women allowed to vote during White Revolution: part 5: reforms in the electoral laws: voting rights to women, introduced suffrage movement. Modernize Iran and give women equal status
-allowed into law and universities
-increase in workforce
-women had rights of the family
-judges and ministerial posts
-mainly effected the upper and middle class
-Minster for Women’s Affairs (1976)
-didn’t effect the majority of women
iii. cultural issues
-traditional vs. modernization
iv. health care
-1970s Petrol Boom gave way to better health care
vi. education
-part 6 of the White Revolution formation of Literacy Corps.: as part of the military service (and later women) were sent to villages as teachers. Aim: lower illiteracy
-1970s->more schools were built
-illiteracy went down
-Higher edu. expanded
-rise in attendance of elementary schools
vii. what else?
-constitutional monarchy. The Shah had to rule with the Parliament. Soon became a single-party state (1975). SAVAK formed as a security for the Shah.
-Economy
- suffered because of the British sanctions that were placed upon them due to oil issue.World embargo was put in place for Iranian oil.
- dependent upon oil revenue-> doesn’t develop other resources->dependent on imports
-budget depends on oil (fluctuations will put eco. in turmoil)
-1976 oil prices fell->eco in trouble (inflation)->standard of living decreasing-> opposition against the Shah began


e. 1979 Revolution - explain who led the revolution; why did they revolt? who in society were their supporters? did they have outside help? how successful were they? why were they successful (or not)?
-The migrant poorer peasants formed the backbone for the 1979 Rev.
-the leaders of moderate opposition wrote letters asking for basic rights
-1978 a protest occurred because a newspaper insulted a religious leader. Some demonstrators were killed by police force.
-All classes and walks of life were involved in opposition->they wanted to overthrow the Shah
-government declared martial law which increased clashes between protesters and police
mutiny among air technicians occurred->triggered an uprising
-armed forces declared loyalty to the religious leader who was imprisoned
-government fell