Revolution and Economic Transition

Hooshang Amirahmadi is Associate Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy Development, and Director of Middle Eastern Studies at Rutgers University.

• Tables Figures Abbreviations Note on Iranian Calendar and Transliteration Preface 1. Introduction: The Limited Transforming Potential of the Middle-Class Revolution 2. Forces Influencing the Economy The Shah's Economic LegacyStruggles over State Power and Social QuestionsThe Struggle for National SovereigntyThe Iran-Iraq WarThe Oil and Saudi FactorsCapacity Underutilization and the BottlenecksIdeological Dislocation and Systemic Indirection3. Economic Trends, Problems, and Policies Domestic Production, Sectoral Shifts, and PoliciesDomestic Expenditures and Fixed Capital FormationThe General Budgets and Budget DeficitInflation and Antiinflationary MeasuresUnemployment and Sectoral Employment ShiftsPer Capita Income and Income DistributionProvincial Development and PoliciesForeign Trade and the Balance of Payments4. The Post-War Reconstruction Debate on a Reconstruction StrategyThe Nature of the Reconstruction ProcessObstacles to ReconstructionThe Peace Process and Reconstruction5. Conclusions: Empirical and Theoretical Empirical FindingsTheoretical ConclusionsNotes Bibliography Index

"This book is timely, analytical and comprehensive, and will fill a serious gap in our knowledge of the Islamic Republic." — Abbas Alnasrawi, Department of Economics, University of Vermont"The topic is significant inasmuch as there has been considerable speculation about Iran's economic policies and capacities but very little hard data about trends and policies. The debate about and speculation over economics has been linked to discussions about the nature, course and outcome of the Iranian revolution. Amirahmadi contributes to these debates, both theoretically and empirically."The book is tremendously useful, not only for its scrupulous account of post-revolutionary economic trends, but also for its extensive bibliography, use of wide array of primary and secondary sources (sources generally unavailable, inaccessible, or difficult-to-obtain from Iran, and interviews), and its combination of theory, method, description, and policy recommendations. It is bound to be recognized as a major resource and reference book. The book is original, well researched, thorough, readable, and authoritative." — Valentine M. Moghadam, World Institute for Development Economics Research