Iran - Theocratic structures - Google Slides
Summary
TLDRThis video delves into Iran's theocratic government structures, contrasting them with elected institutions. It explains the concept of 'velayat-e faqih', or guardianship of the jurist, which empowers religious leaders to oversee the political sphere. The Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holds ultimate authority, including the power to restrict presidential candidates and overrule the president. The Guardian Council, comprising 12 men, vets candidates for elections and can veto legislation, ensuring compliance with Shia Islamic law. The Expediency Council resolves disputes between the Guardian Council and the legislature, while the Assembly of Experts, elected by the public, appoints the Supreme Leader. The video explores these institutions' roles in shaping Iran's political landscape.
Takeaways
- 🏛️ Iran's theocratic structures serve as a check on elected institutions, ensuring compliance with Islamic law based on Shia interpretation.
- 📜 The concept of 'velayat-e faqih' or 'guardianship of the jurist' is central to Iran's political system, where religious leaders hold significant political power.
- 👨🏫 The Supreme Leader, currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is the highest religious and political authority in Iran, chosen for life by the Assembly of Experts.
- 👥 The Guardian Council, consisting of 12 men, has the power to vet and exclude candidates from running in elections and to veto legislation.
- 🔄 The Expediency Council resolves disputes between the Guardian Council and the parliament, and can also propose legislation.
- 🗳️ The Assembly of Experts, made up of elected clerics, is responsible for electing and theoretically dismissing the Supreme Leader.
- 🔝 The Supreme Leader has extensive powers, including limiting presidential candidates, overruling the president, and appointing key government positions.
- 🌐 Iran's Supreme Leader is seen as a leader of Shia Islam both within the country and internationally, influencing Shia groups globally.
- 🕍 The theocratic institutions in Iran are designed to perpetuate a system of Islamic law and ensure the country's governance aligns with Shia Islam.
- 🔮 Speculation about the future Supreme Leader is common as the current leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has held the position since 1989 and is of advanced age.
Q & A
什么是伊朗的神权政治结构?
-伊朗的神权政治结构是指宗教领袖在政治体系中拥有重要权力的体制。这种结构源于1979年的伊朗革命,其核心是'velayat-e faqih'(法基赫的监护)原则,即在隐遁的第十二伊玛目回归之前,由合格的什叶派宗教法学家来管理国家和社会事务。
为什么伊朗会有宗教机构来监督选举和政治人物?
-伊朗的宗教机构负责确保政治体系和政治人物遵守伊斯兰教法和什叶派的解释。这些机构的存在是为了维护国家的伊斯兰性质,确保所有法律和政治行为都符合宗教领袖对伊斯兰教法的解释。
伊朗的最高领袖是如何产生的?
-伊朗的最高领袖由一个名为'专家会议'(Assembly of Experts)的机构选举产生。这个机构由公众选举出的宗教领袖组成,他们负责选择和理论上也可以罢免最高领袖。
伊朗的最高领袖有哪些权力?
-伊朗的最高领袖拥有广泛的权力,包括限制总统候选人,甚至在某些情况下推翻总统或解散议会。最高领袖还担任武装部队的总司令,可以宣战或宣布和平,并任命政府中的许多重要职位。
伊朗的监护委员会(Guardian Council)有什么作用?
-监护委员会负责审查法律和政治候选人,以确保他们符合伊斯兰教法。它有权决定谁可以参加总统、议会和专家会议的选举,并且可以否决立法机构通过的任何立法,如果认为它们与伊斯兰基本原则相悖。
伊朗的' Expediency Council'(权益委员会)是什么?
-权益委员会是一个解决立法机构和监护委员会之间争议的机构。如果监护委员会认为某项立法不符合伊斯兰教法,权益委员会则负责找出妥协方案或解决方案。
伊朗的专家会议有什么职责?
-专家会议的主要职责是选举和理论上有权罢免伊朗的最高领袖。这个机构由公众选举产生的宗教领袖组成,他们负责监督最高领袖的表现,并在必要时选择新的领袖。
伊朗的神权政治结构如何影响国家的政策和法律?
-伊朗的神权政治结构确保所有政策和法律都符合伊斯兰教法的解释。宗教领袖对法律和政治决策有最终发言权,这限制了民选官员的权力,并确保国家的伊斯兰性质得以维护。
伊朗的总统和最高领袖之间的关系是什么?
-伊朗的总统负责国家的日常管理,但最高领袖拥有最终权力,并可以监督总统的政策。尽管总统是民选的,但最高领袖在国家的政治体系中拥有更重要的地位。
伊朗的神权政治结构如何反映在国家的立法过程中?
-伊朗的立法过程需要通过民选的立法机构(Majles)和监护委员会的双重审查。监护委员会可以否决任何不符合伊斯兰教法的立法,这体现了神权政治结构对法律制定过程的直接影响。
Outlines
🏛 Theocratic Structures in Iran
This paragraph discusses the theocratic structures within Iran's government, emphasizing the role of religious institutions as a check on elected ones. It introduces the concept of 'velayat-e faqih' or 'guardianship of the jurist', which is central to the post-1979 Iranian government's aim to maintain Islamic law based on Shia jurisprudence. The Supreme Leader is highlighted as the key figure chosen by God, with ultimate authority over religious and political matters. The paragraph also mentions the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for appointing the Supreme Leader, and the Guardian Council, which vets laws and candidates. The Supreme Leader's extensive powers, including the ability to limit presidential candidates and overrule the president, are also outlined.
👥 The Guardian Council and Expediency Council
The second paragraph delves into the Guardian Council, a body of 12 men with significant influence over elections and legislation in Iran. The Council vets candidates for local, presidential, parliamentary, and Assembly of Experts elections, often excluding many potential candidates, thereby wielding substantial power. It also has the authority to veto legislation that it deems contrary to Islamic principles. The Expediency Council is introduced as a body that resolves disputes between the Guardian Council and the legislature, and can also initiate legislation. The paragraph also touches on the historical context, mentioning the first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, and the current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has held the position since 1989.
🗳 The Assembly of Experts
The final paragraph focuses on the Assembly of Experts, a unique institution within Iran's theocratic government that is directly elected by the people, albeit consisting of religious leaders. Their primary role is to elect and, if necessary, dismiss the Supreme Leader. The paragraph discusses the potential for conflict between the Assembly and the Supreme Leader, though it is considered unlikely. The Assembly's members are subject to approval by the Guardian Council, ensuring that only acceptable candidates are elected. The interconnection between the Assembly of Experts and the Guardian Council is highlighted, noting that some members may serve in both bodies.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Theocratic Structures
💡Velayat-e Faqih
💡Supreme Leader
💡Guardian Council
💡Assembly of Experts
💡Expediency Council
💡Islamic Law
💡Revolution of 1979
💡Religious Minorities
💡Elected Institutions
Highlights
Iran's theocratic structures serve as a check on elected institutions.
The concept of 'velayat-e faqih' is central to Iran's government structure.
The goal is to perpetuate Islamic law based on Shia law.
The supreme leader is seen as chosen by God and is the key figure in Iran.
Religious experts ensure laws and political conduct comply with their interpretation of Islam.
The supreme leader is the head of state and the most powerful political figure in Iran.
The supreme leader is chosen by the Assembly of Experts.
The supreme leader has the power to limit presidential candidates.
The supreme leader can overrule or dismiss the president.
The Guardian Council has the power to determine who can run in elections.
The Guardian Council vets candidates for local, presidential, and parliamentary elections.
The Guardian Council can veto legislation passed by the legislature.
The Expediency Council settles disputes between the legislature and the Guardian Council.
The Assembly of Experts is directly elected by the people and elects the supreme leader.
The Assembly of Experts can technically dismiss the supreme leader.
The theocratic institutions serve as a direct check on the power of other institutions.
The current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been in power since 1989.
The role of the supreme leader is to supervise politics and ensure laws conform to Islam.
The Guardian Council is comprised mostly of hardliners or conservatives.
The Expediency Council may originate their own legislation within the Majlis.
Transcripts
this video we're going to focus on some
of the theocratic structures of
government within iran
as opposed to some of the elected ones
like the presidency and evangelists
so the first question to focus on is why
does iran
have religious institutions that
essentially serve as a check or a filter
on a lot of the elected institutions and
a lot of the political figures within
the country
so we talked about the term uh velayat
effechy
which roughly translates to essentially
juris guardianship
um but because of the revolution of 1979
because essentially the goal within the
government is to
perpetuate a system of sort of islamic
law and islamism
uh based on shia law
they believe that power to make key
decisions should be made by clergy and
religious leaders so
essentially trying to perpetuate a
system in which uh the supreme leader
is sort of the the key um chosen by god
they believe figure within the country
um
and that that uh there is a lot of
religious
experts that that essentially are
looking at laws looking at the conduct
of political candidates looking at the
candidates themselves
um and making sure that they comply with
their interpretation of islam
so it's a system that i like and in some
some weird ways kind of similar to
judicial review
and that they are essentially looking at
at sort of
what is produced by the government and
making sure that it complies
with what they see as the basis for
their law
which is is the quran so um
kind of within that we start with the
supreme leader so as i said before the
supreme leader is is ultimately
um seen as a as the leader of shia islam
for both the people in iran and for
people outside of the country so there's
a lot of connection that iran has with
shia groups and shia um
kind of um political groups and military
groups that exist without with
outside of the country as well um and
[Music]
the supreme leader is essentially uh the
highest
person within the religion um so as we
said before
lots of complexity within the system
we're going to be focused in on
the guardian council on the supreme
leader and the assembly of experts and
the expediency council in this video
but a very complex system and the way
that i sort of explain the role of the
theocratic institutions is to serve
directly
as a check on the power of a lot of the
other institutions so we'll
start with the supreme leader um so
currently
ayatollah ali khamenei
and he has been the supreme leader since
1989 so he's
getting up there in age uh and he is the
supreme leader within iran is the head
of
state so essentially um the most
powerful
political figure within the country uh
the political figure that
has has is oftentimes kind of the the
symbol to the rest of the world
um of iran and its government but also
of shia islam itself
um and it is the supreme leader kind of
who fills the position is chosen by the
by the clerics who make up the assembly
of experts so essentially
um they have a governmental body or a
religious
political institution whose job it is to
um
appoint the next supreme leader as well
as do a few other things
but usually it's it's chosen by the
clerics who make up the assembly of
experts
and kind of within the system it's kind
of manifests itself in interesting ways
that we'll talk about so
uh it's a lifetime appointment so
iran has only had two supreme leaders
since the revolution in 1979 um
and the supreme leader is
uh expected to act as a trustee of the
community by supervising politics and
ensuring laws conform to islam so like
we said before
essentially
kind of wide spread power um to make
sure that
that what's happening within iran's
political system is
uh is conforming to to essentially
the laws that that they believe to be
true
um so and then seen by many as the
leader of islamic faith we talked about
that so
uh kind of as you can imagine widespread
powers so someone called the
screenwriter
not surprising but essentially the
supreme leader has the power to limit
presidential candidates and kind of
inter most interestingly in some ways
to overrule the president or to just
outright dismiss the president so
that is a power that is is you know as
you can imagine is pretty wide
it was pretty uh pretty big stick within
the system
uh seen as the commander-in-chief of the
armed forces um can declare
war and peace so so we saw that in the
80s with
um the iran-iraq war and a lot of the
the role of the supreme leader played in
within that um appoints a lot of
important
positions within the government so the
head of the judiciary half the guardian
council which we'll talk about in a
second
and then most importantly i think in
some ways kind of the symbolic or
or the the outward figure
from the country
so as we said before
uh rujola khomeini was the
first supreme leader from 1979 to 1989
after the iranian revolution in 1979 um
and then
kame takes charge in 1989 he essentially
interestingly was was sort of a um
thought initially to be sort of a
caretaker or sort of a
compromise between different elements of
the government
and he's held this position essentially
for 31 years and
uh and it's interesting kind of to think
about what will happen
who will take this role kind of when he
is no longer able to fill the position
so
uh kind of interesting to think about
where kind of the next supreme leader
will be come from and there's always a
lot of speculation
outside of the country about that all
right so the
supreme leader as we as we said before
uh as you can tell by the name
oftentimes seen as the predominant
figure within the country
uh within the political system but
there's lots and lots and lots of other
important kind of institutions
that exist on the the kind of religious
side of the government
so the most important other is
definitely the guardian council
so this is going to be a group that has
um essentially two or three main roles
we'll talk about those in a second
but essentially it's made up of 12
different men uh serving six-year terms
so we said the supreme leader has a
lifetime appointment
these essentially are chosen
half by the supreme leader and then half
by the head of judiciary which as we
just talked about
is chosen by the supreme leader so you
can kind of get where that's coming from
um but kind of interestingly enough they
do have to be approved by the by the
magelus
or from a list kind of provided to them
angelus um
but essentially 12 members that have a
lot of power and a lot of do a lot of
really interesting things
so the most important one thing that
they probably do
is they have the power to determine who
can run in local presidential
parliamentary
and the assembly of religious experts
elections so
and they use this power in a very very
widespread way
so oftentimes um lots and lots of people
they essentially decide who runs in each
election
which as you can imagine is a ton of
power so for presidential elections they
are
they manage to exclude a lot of
important political figures often
um and and it's interesting to see the
the kind of who
is chosen um to run in the election and
to think about sort of why they're
chosen and what they represent and how
that represents
maybe the the direction that the powers
that be within the country want to take
the country in um so just as
an example of that kind of in the recent
parliamentary elections tons and tons
and tons of
candidates for the magelus were excluded
which is not
uncommon but interestingly there were a
lot of people who were currently members
of the magills who are essentially
excluded from running again so the
guardian council has a widespread power
to veto or to
to vet kind of people running for
four different seats within the country
and most of
if not all the guardian council are
comprised of sort of hardliners or
conservatives within the system
so not surprisingly a lot of the people
that make the power within the country
um excluding in some ways the president
and which is
an interesting kind of uh relationship
um
but a lot of these these people are
hardliners intend to take the country
into more
conservative way so it's interesting to
see that
and the second big big thing is the
council also has the power to veto any
legislation that's passed by
the legislature kind of if they
believe it to be at odds with basic
tenants of islam
so they are able to to essentially serve
as a check
on the unicameral legislature that
exists within the country
so it's interesting the extent to which
iran has a unicameral legislature
but it also has a separate body that can
this can check or veto the legislation
that's passed
so that takes us to the expediency
council which is another
institution that is primarily
it's a lot of the same folks um kind of
in the other parts of the government
um and essentially what their main job
is to do is to settle disputes when
there is a um dispute between the
manchester and the guardian council so
essentially the guardian council says
uh no this doesn't comply with the basic
laws of islam
and then the expediency council figures
out kind of a the compromise or the
solution between the angelus
and the guardian council and they also
may originate their own legislation
within the magelus
so um an interesting kind of
in some ways interestingly uh redundant
council or group but it's interesting to
see kind of
a need for another another group that
exists
and the last one is uh the assembly of
experts
so this is interesting because they're
they're on
the the religious or theocratic side of
things but they are
actually directly elected by people so
essentially there are elections but they
are all
of religious leaders running against
each other
so mostly if not all hardliners kind of
running against each other in an
election
so what the most important role of the
assembly of religious experts is that
they
elect the supreme leader and technically
speaking they have the right to dismiss
him
so it's really interesting to think
about kind of like we said there's only
been two
and and it's hard to come up with sort
of a
road map in which they would actually
exercise this power
um unless this i don't know i don't want
to speculate too much
but uh to me i always think like if the
supreme leader turns out to not be as
hard line as
as was previously thought then maybe
that or took the country in sort of a
completely strange surprising new
direction
maybe you'd have conflict between the
new leader and sort of the
hardliners within the government here
but i actually think that's not super
likely
so in candidates for the assembly of
religious experts like we said they're
drawn from a lot of the same pools of
the other people
that exist within the country uh within
the the government
or the theocratic elements of government
they are subject to approval by
the guardian council so again you're not
going to get just people going rogue and
sort of
ending up on the assembly of religious
experts by accident
and interestingly enough some are
actually in the guardian council too
so it is a uh drawing from a lot of the
same
pool of people uh so kind of when just
repeat kind of we we have all of these
elements of government
i think it's really important to know
what the supreme leader does
um and also to know what the guardian
council does um
and those kind of and also to know that
these simply of religious experts their
main job is to essentially
pick the supreme leader so uh so yeah
thanks
Voir Plus de Vidéos Connexes
Iran’s President Raisi has died. What now?
Iran's new president: Masoud Pezeshkian outlines priorities
Kekuatan & Kelemahan Presidensial vs Parlementer | Prof. Dr. Bambang Cipto, M.A.
Political Parties: Crash Course Government and Politics #40
Iran's Revolutions: Crash Course World History 226
US Political System
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)