Rentier Economy, state and the Cultural Middle Class in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explain the status and position of rentier economy, state and Cultural middle class in the Islamic Republic of Iran. In this regard, after the concept of rent and rentier economics, the characteristics of rentier state, the nature of social classes in Iran and the influence of rentier state on the new and cultural middle class were studied. Also, the impact of rentier economy and state on migration and urbanization, development of educational and academic centers, media development and typology of the cultural middle class were other topics considered in this study. The results of this study, using historical sociology and a descriptive-analytical approach, showed that the cultural middle class wants what the middle class wants in the industrial society, but economically it does not. This class is pushing to impose its values ​​such as citizenship rights, a sense of participation in decision-making, the reinforcement of modern cultural values, and the modern lifestyle of post-revolutionary states that enjoy a rentier structure.

Keywords

• cultural middle class
• rentier state
• rentier economics
• social classes