The Jangali Movement and How Its Themes Persist in Protests Under the Islamic Republic

Authors

Sam Atabay Bidgoli

Abstract

Thanks to the Jangali Movement in the early decades of the 20th century, the northern province of Gilan in Iran was able to successfully establish a system of government that served the working-class population of the region. Although short-lived, this movement was a product of years of extreme exploitation of the labor, resources, and capital by both the national government and the global hegemonic powers of the era. The movement brought together an incredibly diverse coalition of working-class individuals who wanted to create a more equitable society. Under the current Islamic Republic of Iran, there have been several large-scale protests that have been triggered by similarly dire economic conditions. Although these recent protests have yet to bring about significant lasting change, the proliferation of each subsequent protest shows that the country is ripe for a serious restructuring of society, akin to the Jangali Movement that occurred a century prior, to focus more on the struggling working class population in Iran.

Recommended Citation

Sam Atabay Bidgoli, The Jangali Movement and How Its Themes Persist in Protests Under the Islamic Republic, 44 Hastings Int'l & Comp. L. Rev. 91 (2021).
Available at: https://repository.uclawsf.edu/hastings_international_comparative_law_review/vol44/iss1/6