According to Dr. Farshad Momeni, professor of economics and author of the introduction to the book, …

Political Economy: Targeting Subsidies in Iran

This book is an effort to improve the quality of learning and strengthen the historical memory of the country’s politicians; especially in a situation where it has been observed that for years, the capacity for learning in decision-making and resource allocation systems in Iran has not changed significantly. This book focuses on the targeted subsidy program in Iran’s economy in the 1980s and 1990s; even though, as written by Bahareh Ganji, one of the authors of this book, the main approach and strategy of this program is not significantly different from the structural adjustment policies of the 1970s and has had a similar impact.

In the preface, it is mentioned that in this book, an attempt has been made to review the theoretical foundations of targeted subsidy policies and economic adjustment, study the global experience, review the characteristics of the Iranian economy, and the implementation process of targeted subsidy programs based on the first three chapters of the book. Finally, a visual representation of its outcomes will be presented in two specialized sections of energy carrier prices and housing.

This book consists of six chapters and a concluding section titled “Dependency on Historical Path”. The first chapter is dedicated to explaining the theoretical foundations and the role of subsidies in different economic schools. The second chapter takes a look at the economic problems of Iran and discusses issues such as inflation and the Dutch disease in the country. However, the third chapter of this book focuses on the global experiences of implementing targeted subsidy programs in Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, Africa, West Asia, and Latin America. The author of the book’s introduction reminds us that the contents of this chapter show that the mixture of short-sightedness and rent-seeking that has caused chaos among the country’s economic policymakers in the years before and after the shock therapy of the beginning of the 1390s, and the source of a multitude of contradictions, disorderliness, and incorrect interpretations, is a sufficient warning and lesson that should be heeded by all wise and knowledgeable individuals in this field. The fourth chapter also reviews

According to the author of the introduction, if only the good aspects of this book, which records events in a selective manner and describes what is mentioned in the fourth chapter, are considered, it can be confidently said that it is a valuable work and will definitely help strengthen the historical memory of Iranians in the field under study.

Book Name:

Political Economy: Targeting Subsidies in Iran

Authors: Sepideh Akbarbigi, Zahra Moshfegh, Bahare Ganji, Mahdeseh Soleymani, and Reza Majidzadeh

Publisher: Parcas Publications

Publication Year: 1393