A recent article in the Iranian state-run newspaper Etemad painted a concerning picture of the nation’s mood. Entitled “Why is there little hope in Iranian society?,” the piece drew on research by regime scholar Maqsood Farastkhah, revealing a deep disconnect between the government and its people, alongside a socio-economic structure incapable of fostering optimism.
Farastkhah’s analysis suggests that hope has morphed into a “controversial and problematic issue” in Iran. Traditionally, social structures act as breeding grounds for hope, but the current system appears ill-equipped to fulfill this role. He argues that the dominant structures actively contribute to a sense of despair. Statistics back up this claim: Iran’s happiness index plummeted from 54th to 70th globally within the first decade of the 21st century.
Public trust in the government’s ability to address problems is demonstrably low. A staggering 80% of the population holds a negative view of the system’s effectiveness. This lack of faith extends to the future of the nation. Only 23% of Iranians believe things will improve in terms of prosperity, unity, empathy, and poverty reduction. Conversely, 77% anticipate stagnation or worsening conditions.
National unity suffers even more profoundly, with a staggering 84% of citizens fearing a decline in social cohesion. The situation is most dire concerning poverty, where 89% expect it to worsen or remain unchanged. International social capital studies further solidify this bleak picture, ranking Iran a dismal 111th and 110th out of 142 and 158 countries in social capital and vitality, respectively.
These statistics are not mere abstractions. The article delves deeper by comparing Iran’s economic growth to regional neighbors. Over the past five decades, Iran’s economy only grew 14 times, while Qatar’s surged by a staggering 298 times. This stark disparity exposes the inefficiency of Iran’s economic policies.
Farastkhah expands on this issue, highlighting the restrictive nature of the regime in various spheres. He mentions limitations on political participation, including vetting university professors and student activists, alongside cultural restrictions like the mandatory hijab law for women. These policies, he argues, contribute to a sense of despair.
The author further emphasizes the detrimental impact of economic stagnation on hope. Zero economic growth for a decade, coupled with declining income per capita, rising poverty, stagnant unemployment, and widening social inequalities are cited as symptoms of a failing system. This “slow moving and stagnant form” of the economy produces “undesirable products” like inflation, unemployment, and societal imbalance, contributing to a systematic generation of despair.
The ruling body undeniably plays a significant role. When public dissent is met with repression and violence, it inevitably extinguishes hope. Similarly, the high number of executions in Iran casts a long shadow, further dampening societal optimism.
From the article, we can conclude this poignant image: elderly citizens scavenging for food and women facing brutality for failing to adhere to the hijab law. These are not isolated incidents; they represent the systematic erosion of hope within Iranian society.
