Iranian sociologists are talking about the formation of a new social class in Iranian society, dubbed the “vertical class.” This has led to the fact that some key developments in Iran, especially after the 2019 uprising, cannot be sufficiently explored by prevailing sociological analyses.
The Iranian regime’s ideology is based on medieval religious dogmas that are incompatible with modern science and progressive thought. This is not to say that Tehran does not exploit scientific advancements for its own parochial and ominous objectives. At the same time, in order to impose itself on the world of the 21st century, it continues to create crises and chaos in order to extract concessions and survive. This conduct has had significant impact on the socio-economic fabric and modes of class formation inside the country.
Starting in 1979, certain social classes usurped power, primarily from the ranks of shanty town dwellers. They had no discernible role in domestic and national production and industry. Therefore, disruption of production did not have adverse impacts on the set of their socio-economic interests. Their means of survival in power was to impose themselves through suppression at home and triggering various forms of conflicts abroad.
For example, the Iran-Iraq war cost Iran more than one trillion dollars but advanced the ruling establishment’s interests because it allowed them to use the war as a pretext for domestic suppression.
The regime uses systematic corruption and nepotism to plunder the country’s wealth. This has led to unprecedented levels of poverty and the near-obliteration of the middle class. And, astronomical imports from China and other countries have all but destroyed domestic production. Even agriculture has not been spared and is at the point of total destruction.
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