Bazaar and State in Iran

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The Tehran bazaar serves as a focal point for understanding Iran's economic and political landscape over four decades. Kesharvarzian examines how the Pahlavi regime's attempts to modernize and undermine the bazaar contrasted sharply with the revolutionary government's efforts to preserve it as an Islamic institution. Ironically, the bazaar thrived under the Shah, contributing to the Islamic revolution, while the Islamic Republic's policies inadvertently weakened its political mobilization capabilities. This analysis provides deep insights into Iran's societal evolution.