Iran's Illiberal Democracy Structure and Civil Liberties

Level of Democratization in Iran

The definition of an illiberal democracy is a democracy in which so-called democratic processes, such as elections, take place, but these are accompanied by limitations on civil liberties.

While Iran may have started out as an illiberal democracy, several factors point to significant repression:

• Prevalent executions
• Forcing women to wear the hijab
• Ill treatment of homosexuals (often officially denied as existing in Iran)
• Silence imposed upon religious minorities (such as Sunnis and Baha'is)
• Repression of political opposition
• Censorship of media, internet, and culture
• Oversight by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance

Political protests, such as the Green Revolution and the 2018 protests against the Ayatollah, may change how Iran structures its democracy, but it continues to function as an illiberal democracy.

The introduction of an illiberal democracy structure, characterized by this repression of civil liberties, creates an oligarchy that undoubtedly controls government procedure.

Comparison to Authoritarian Systems

• Compare to China, where presidents are promoted through continuous adherence to Communist Party of China standards. Iranian presidents are elected, but are only truly eligible once they have had substantial political power (as they must be vetted by the Supreme Leader). Giving the Supreme Leader this ability to determine the role of President—a position that should truly be popularly elected—proves that rather than being a true representative of the people’s wishes, the President is really only a candidate deemed worthy according to the Ayatollah, who is more likely to choose someone clerical and religious rather than someone who follows the will of the people.
• This creation of an oligarchy transcends political power to settle in on wealth; wealth disparity grows partly because of the limited opportunities the masses have in illiberal democracies. Opportunities are typically only reserved for an elite minority. While this minority can prosper with their own selective freedom, the limited majority instead has to make do with the little the government allows them. In fully democratized countries, the masses have free rein that allows them to prosper and grow fully—not quite eliminating disparity, but providing an outlet to escape from it.

Constitutional Framework and Elections

• The Constitution of 1979 set up a dual executive system with legislative bodies.
• It established elections, but they are not necessarily fair, making the system illiberal (as seen in the cases of Ahmadinejad and Mousavi).
• Democracy operates in conjunction with a theocracy.
• Elections exist for local councils, and women have voting rights.
• It is a unitary government, but local affairs are still divided.
• Sharia oversight applies to all aspects, led by the Supreme Leader.