Browsing by Author "Shadurdyyeva, Leyli"

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Is authoritarian modernization effective? a case study of socio-political divergence between Türkiye and Iran as a consequence of the twentieth-century modernization movement
(Bilkent University, 2024) Hamidova, Ayan; Lassem, Nima Kamali; Shadurdyyeva, Leyli; Shukurzade, Murad
Since the beginning of the twentieth century, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Reza Shah led their nations, Türkiye and Iran, through unstable periods, in means of establishing the modernized Turkish Republic and the Pahlavi dynasty in Iran. This paper discusses the major factors that led to the distinctive pathways of the two countries throughout their history of modernization. Both leaders implemented the patterns based on their politically strategic campaigns, which were mainly under the concepts of secularism, nationalism, and revolutionism. However, Atatürk's additional focus on the interests of the population to gain support for the republic contrasted with Reza Shah's more strictly authoritarian methods, leading to differing outcomes. Distinctive religious sects, Sunnism in Türkiye and Shiasm in Iran influenced the two nations’ reaction to the political reforms. Although Türkiye and Iran followed a similar pattern of diplomatic treaties, the latter experienced obstacles, slowing the pursuit of authoritarian modernization. Thus, differing strategies of regimes, religion, and diplomatic relations, as well as the structural environments based on the history of the two states, diverged Türkiye and Iran in their paths of modernization, in which Türkiye succeeded under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's leadership, while Reza Shah’s efforts for Iran failed.