The book “Political Participation of the Working Class in Iran” which focuses on the evolution of the contemporary labor movement in Iran from the Constitutional Revolution to the January 1979 Revolution, is written by Afshin Habibzadeh. The author of this book is a member of the Central Council of the Islamic Labor Party, holds a PhD in Political Science, is a university lecturer, and is one of the founders and managers of the Iranian Labor News Agency, ILNA. Mr. Habibzadeh was a member of the fourth term of the Tehran City Council as an alternate member and currently serves as a member of the fifth term of the Tehran City Council in the Urban and Transportation Commission.

This book has four main sections: “Theoretical Preparations”, “The Workers’ Movement from the Beginning to the Islamic Revolution”, “Political Participation of the Working Class after the Islamic Revolution” and “The Working Class and Political Apathy”.

In the mentioned book, after discussing the topic, concepts and theoretical foundations, the social, economic and political situation of the working class in Iran before the revolution and their role in the revolution are examined. Then, an attempt is made to address the political participation of the working class in Iran after the revolution until 2005. In this section, the author tries to show why the working class in Iran was unable to become an effective political force during the years after the revolution and how their political participation weakened over time.

In the first section of this book, we read: “The beginning of the labor movement in Iran coincides with the Constitutional Revolution, which is a significant topic to consider. It seems that the ideas that were able to lay the foundations of the revolution based on increasing the role of the people in determining their own fate, also sparked the awakening of the working class. The working class felt that by increasing their role in decision-making and policy-making, they would be able to secure their own interests. Therefore, they sought ways to participate in political life. The Constitutional Revolution was able to give this ability to the working class, leading them to self-awareness. This is a logical result of thinking about the liberation of the working class or any other group or class from their problems. Participation in political life could provide economic and social benefits for the working class.”

In this book, the author not only discusses theoretical issues, but also analyzes the conditions that led to the growth of temporary contracts and the presence of contractors in the Iranian job market by presenting accurate statistics: “The country’s imports increased from 16.5 billion dollars in 1368 to 22.3 billion dollars in 1369 and 30.9 billion dollars in 1370, ultimately resulting in the closure of factories and unemployment of workers.”

The political participation of the working class in Iran, which has come to an end with a discussion about the political indifference of the working class in recent decades, especially considering the lack of theoretical resources regarding the Iranian working class due to existing censorship, is a valuable book that is worth reading.

Book Name: Political Participation of the Working Class in Iran

Author: Afshin Habibzadeh

Publication date: 1387

Publisher: Kavir