Farshad Momeni; Ismail Aalizad; Vahid Mirebeigi
Abstract
For years researchers have associated the developmental problems of countries possessing natural resources like oil with the very fact of the possession of such resources. The numerous studies of this field have mostly focused on the theories of the Rentier State and the Resource Curse. Today, with the ...
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For years researchers have associated the developmental problems of countries possessing natural resources like oil with the very fact of the possession of such resources. The numerous studies of this field have mostly focused on the theories of the Rentier State and the Resource Curse. Today, with the advent of empirical research and theoretical criticism, there is little doubt with regards to the shortcomings of the classic theories of the field. The latest research has also attempted to mitigate the extremes of the classic theories of rentierism which usually cover a limited scope of the suggested outcomes of rentierism, and such theories have not formed a comprehensive and elaborate theory, nor have they presented an appropriate ideal type of the rentier state for historical investigations. The present paper presents a critical survey of the literature on rentierism, focusing on one main question: how can this theory be improved? With respect to this question, at first, rentierism literature will be reviewed, then the institutionalist theory of Douglass North shall be introduced. By recognizing the advantages and disadvantages of both theories, the present paper goes on to formulate new conceptual framework named the "Rentier Limited Access Order". Not only is this framework rooted in both theories, but it also goes beyond them and delivers new insights with which rentier states can be studied.
Sociology
vahid shalchi; rohollah ghasemi
Abstract
From 40’s on, Iran has earned most of its revenue from oil. Oil prices have seen multiplying increases in certain periods. During the time of these increases, contrary to the expectation that this increased revenue be spent on development, the policies employed by the state have created more issues ...
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From 40’s on, Iran has earned most of its revenue from oil. Oil prices have seen multiplying increases in certain periods. During the time of these increases, contrary to the expectation that this increased revenue be spent on development, the policies employed by the state have created more issues and problems for the country. The state policies during oil booms have a direct effect on social institutions and the institutional framework. In this study, the effect of state policies on social institutions of economy and politics during the years 1973-1977 and 2005-2010 shall be investigated. The main question of the study is the reason for the similarities in state policies for social institutions during these two periods. The purpose is to recognize the reasons regarding why these two governments, despite their ideological, structural and historical differences, have taken similar decisions during oil price shocks, and that these policies produce similar results. In order to investigate the issue at hand, Terry Lynn Karl’s Weak State theory has been used, and the Rentier State theory has been employed as an essential reason but not a sufficient one. The method of study is comparative-historical. The path-dependency technique has been used for the historical study of the weak state, and to compare the findings a contingency table has been created. The findings show that through the historical study of the issue, the weak state presents itself as the main reason, and the rentier state and the multiplication of oil prices serve as essential reasons but not sufficient ones regarding the issue.
