Overview

Unveil the secret engine driving Iran's defiance against the world. For decades, outsiders have dismissed Iran's economy as a crumbling relic of revolution, crippled by sanctions, riddled with corruption, and propped up by oil rents. But what if the truth is far more cunning? In this groundbreaking book, dive into the clandestine world of bonyads (vast charitable foundations), the omnipotent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and a clerical elite that wields unchecked power. Drawing on pioneering frameworks like Kevan Harris's ""subcontractor state,"" this revelatory account exposes how Iran's post-1979 political economy, a decentralized yet iron-fisted machine, has turned revolutionary zeal into economic resilience. Trace the origins from Khomeini's radical Velayat-e Faqih doctrine and leftist Islamic firebrands like Ali Shariati and Mahmoud Taleqani, to the IRGC's meteoric rise as a shadowy conglomerate dominating everything from telecoms to missiles. Far from the rentier or praetorian stereotypes, Iran operates a ""qualitatively socialist"" powerhouse: state-monopolized mechanisms fueled not by profit, but by ideological survival. Learn how clerics and militias outmaneuver Western sanctions, build parallel empires, and sustain the Islamic Republic amid chaos. Inside Iran's Hidden Economy shatters myths, offering policymakers, journalists, and Iran-watchers an indispensable roadmap to the regime's true strength. In an era of escalating tensions, understanding this hidden web isn't just fascinating, it's essential.

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