{"id":2181,"date":"2009-06-19T19:28:29","date_gmt":"2009-06-20T03:28:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/secularright.org\/wordpress\/?p=2181"},"modified":"2009-06-19T19:33:31","modified_gmt":"2009-06-20T03:33:31","slug":"iran-is-it-that-polarized-by-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/iran-is-it-that-polarized-by-class\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran, is it that polarized by class?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Like many people I don’t know that much about what’s going on in Iran besides what I read. An Iranian American friend asked me what I thought would happen…which I think goes to show that we’re all in uncharted waters here. But one of the talking points which regularly emerges are the cleavages in Iranian society along the lines of class. An extreme caricature of a common perception might be that the religious population of South Tehran are typical Middle Easterners in their mores and attitudes, while the fashionable folk of North Tehran, with their nose jobs<\/a>, would easily fit in to Tehrangeles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Though I do not doubt that class is a major predictor of political affinity in Iran today, I do think that one should not overstate the differences across Iranian society in terms of social attitudes as a function of class. I say this because my own knowledge of “Iranians” comes through Iranian Americans, so when I first looked at Iran in the World Values Survey<\/a> I was expecting a large minority of social liberals in a Western sense with anti-religious sentiments. As it happens I didn’t find it, rather, Iran is a moderately conservative Middle Eastern country, with significant, but not stark, differences by class when it comes to views on “hot button” issues.<\/p>\n

Instead of making arguments, I’ll offer some numbers. Below are a list of issues from WVS wave 5 (taken in 2005) for Iran. You can see there are differences by class. You can also see that there is a great deal of overlap.
\n<\/p>\n


<\/TD> 		Upper Middle<\/strong><\/TD> Middle<\/strong><\/TD> Lower<\/strong><\/TD> <\/TR>
Important in life: Religion<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Very important<\/TD> 78.0%<\/TD> 78.8%<\/TD> 80.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Rather important<\/TD> 16.6%<\/TD> 16.2%<\/TD> 14.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Not very important<\/TD> 4.2%<\/TD> 3.7%<\/TD> 2.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Not at all important<\/TD> 1.2%<\/TD> 1.2%<\/TD> 2.4%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 994 <\/TD> 1232 <\/TD> 376 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Active\/Inactive in religious organization<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Not a member<\/TD> 64.4%<\/TD> 58.1%<\/TD> 61.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Inactive member<\/TD> 18.3%<\/TD> 20.1%<\/TD> 16.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Active member<\/TD> 17.4%<\/TD> 21.8%<\/TD> 22.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 991 <\/TD> 1227 <\/TD> 375 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Men should have more right to job than women<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Agree<\/TD> 64.5%<\/TD> 72.8%<\/TD> 70.8%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Disagree<\/TD> 20.9%<\/TD> 13.1%<\/TD> 16.2%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Neither<\/TD> 14.5%<\/TD> 14.1%<\/TD> 13.0%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 990 <\/TD> 1227 <\/TD> 377 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Men make better executives than women<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Agree strongly<\/TD> 16.9%<\/TD> 22.7%<\/TD> 24.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Agree<\/TD> 57.3%<\/TD> 59.4%<\/TD> 55.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Disagree<\/TD> 19.3%<\/TD> 13.7%<\/TD> 14.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Strongly disagree<\/TD> 6.6%<\/TD> 4.2%<\/TD> 5.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 991 <\/TD> 1228 <\/TD> 375 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Men make better political leaders than women<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Agree strongly<\/TD> 18.6%<\/TD> 27.6%<\/TD> 25.8%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Agree<\/TD> 55.6%<\/TD> 54.5%<\/TD> 53.8%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Disagree<\/TD> 19.6%<\/TD> 14.4%<\/TD> 15.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Strongly disagree<\/TD> 6.3%<\/TD> 3.4%<\/TD> 4.6%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 990 <\/TD> 1227 <\/TD> 372 <\/TD> <\/TR>
University is more important for a boy than girl<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Agree strongly<\/TD> 10.2%<\/TD> 14.5%<\/TD> 16.8%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Agree<\/TD> 39.1%<\/TD> 43.9%<\/TD> 46.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Disagree<\/TD> 34.3%<\/TD> 29.0%<\/TD> 25.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Strongly disagree<\/TD> 16.4%<\/TD> 12.6%<\/TD> 10.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 992 <\/TD> 1230 <\/TD> 375 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Women as single parent<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Approve<\/TD> 2.7%<\/TD> 2.4%<\/TD> 3.2%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Disapprove<\/TD> 90.3%<\/TD> 92.8%<\/TD> 93.0%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Depends<\/TD> 6.9%<\/TD> 4.9%<\/TD> 3.8%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 994 <\/TD> 1229 <\/TD> 373 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Wealth accumulation<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
People can only get rich at the expense of others<\/TD> 17.2%<\/TD> 18.2%<\/TD> 23.2%<\/TD> <\/TR>
2<\/TD> 10.2%<\/TD> 9.9%<\/TD> 12.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
3<\/TD> 8.7%<\/TD> 10.0%<\/TD> 9.6%<\/TD> <\/TR>
4<\/TD> 7.4%<\/TD> 10.3%<\/TD> 5.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
5<\/TD> 14.2%<\/TD> 13.9%<\/TD> 13.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
6<\/TD> 7.9%<\/TD> 6.3%<\/TD> 6.4%<\/TD> <\/TR>
7<\/TD> 5.4%<\/TD> 6.1%<\/TD> 6.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
8<\/TD> 8.3%<\/TD> 8.5%<\/TD> 7.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
9<\/TD> 7.6%<\/TD> 7.5%<\/TD> 6.4%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Wealth can grow so there´s enough for everyone<\/TD> 13.2%<\/TD> 9.3%<\/TD> 9.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 988 <\/TD> 1219 <\/TD> 375 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Confidence in religious institutions<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
A great deal<\/TD> 40.3%<\/TD> 44.6%<\/TD> 51.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Quite a lot<\/TD> 32.5%<\/TD> 31.6%<\/TD> 26.6%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Not very much<\/TD> 24.0%<\/TD> 22.0%<\/TD> 18.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
None at all<\/TD> 3.2%<\/TD> 1.8%<\/TD> 4.0%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 988 <\/TD> 1233 <\/TD> 376 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Confidence in women’s movement<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
A great deal<\/TD> 8.4%<\/TD> 10.9%<\/TD> 13.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Quite a lot<\/TD> 26.2%<\/TD> 25.2%<\/TD> 25.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Not very much<\/TD> 59.9%<\/TD> 57.7%<\/TD> 53.6%<\/TD> <\/TR>
None at all<\/TD> 5.5%<\/TD> 6.2%<\/TD> 8.0%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 939 <\/TD> 1145 <\/TD> 336 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Party vote first choice<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
I Not would<\/TD> 2.3%<\/TD> 1.7%<\/TD> 1.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
None<\/TD> 4.6%<\/TD> 5.8%<\/TD> 4.5%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Other<\/TD> 3.1%<\/TD> 3.9%<\/TD> 5.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
IR: Fundamentalists<\/TD> 20.9%<\/TD> 25.3%<\/TD> 24.6%<\/TD> <\/TR>
IR: Reformists<\/TD> 43.1%<\/TD> 34.5%<\/TD> 34.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
IR: Indepedents<\/TD> 26.0%<\/TD> 28.8%<\/TD> 28.4%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 894 <\/TD> 1038 <\/TD> 289 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Religious authorities interpret the laws<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Not an essential characteristic of democracy<\/TD> 15.6%<\/TD> 13.1%<\/TD> 14.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
2<\/TD> 7.3%<\/TD> 8.7%<\/TD> 7.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
3<\/TD> 8.0%<\/TD> 8.2%<\/TD> 5.8%<\/TD> <\/TR>
4<\/TD> 8.5%<\/TD> 8.4%<\/TD> 6.0%<\/TD> <\/TR>
5<\/TD> 16.6%<\/TD> 14.4%<\/TD> 14.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
6<\/TD> 10.1%<\/TD> 9.6%<\/TD> 9.6%<\/TD> <\/TR>
7<\/TD> 9.1%<\/TD> 11.5%<\/TD> 12.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
8<\/TD> 10.5%<\/TD> 9.0%<\/TD> 13.5%<\/TD> <\/TR>
9<\/TD> 6.9%<\/TD> 7.1%<\/TD> 5.2%<\/TD> <\/TR>
An essential characteristic of democracy<\/TD> 7.5%<\/TD> 10.0%<\/TD> 12.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 976 <\/TD> 1208 <\/TD> 364 <\/TD> <\/TR>
How often do you attend religious services?<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
More than once a week<\/TD> 18.1%<\/TD> 22.2%<\/TD> 27.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Once a week<\/TD> 12.7%<\/TD> 15.0%<\/TD> 14.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Once a month<\/TD> 9.5%<\/TD> 9.3%<\/TD> 12.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Only on special holy days\/Christmas\/Easter days<\/TD> 25.2%<\/TD> 25.3%<\/TD> 17.4%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Once a year<\/TD> 7.1%<\/TD> 7.1%<\/TD> 4.4%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Never practically never<\/TD> 27.3%<\/TD> 21.1%<\/TD> 22.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 943 <\/TD> 1175 <\/TD> 362 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Religious person?<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
A religious person<\/TD> 80.8%<\/TD> 86.5%<\/TD> 85.2%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Not a religious person<\/TD> 19.1%<\/TD> 13.4%<\/TD> 14.8%<\/TD> <\/TR>
A convinced atheist<\/TD> 0.1%<\/TD> 0.2%<\/TD> –<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 967 <\/TD> 1191 <\/TD> 365 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Religious leaders should not influence government<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Agree strongly<\/TD> 16.1%<\/TD> 17.7%<\/TD> 18.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Agree<\/TD> 27.3%<\/TD> 27.7%<\/TD> 25.4%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Neither agree or disagree<\/TD> 29.3%<\/TD> 26.9%<\/TD> 25.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Disagree<\/TD> 21.3%<\/TD> 21.8%<\/TD> 24.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Strongly disagree<\/TD> 6.1%<\/TD> 5.8%<\/TD> 5.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 990 <\/TD> 1223 <\/TD> 374 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Homosexuality<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Never justifiable<\/TD> 82.7%<\/TD> 82.1%<\/TD> 84.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
2<\/TD> 8.0%<\/TD> 8.6%<\/TD> 7.5%<\/TD> <\/TR>
3<\/TD> 2.1%<\/TD> 3.0%<\/TD> 3.5%<\/TD> <\/TR>
4<\/TD> 1.2%<\/TD> 1.3%<\/TD> 1.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
5<\/TD> 1.2%<\/TD> 1.4%<\/TD> 1.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
6<\/TD> 0.4%<\/TD> 0.7%<\/TD> 0.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
7<\/TD> 1.1%<\/TD> 0.6%<\/TD> 0.8%<\/TD> <\/TR>
8<\/TD> 1.3%<\/TD> 0.9%<\/TD> 0.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
9<\/TD> 0.7%<\/TD> 0.2%<\/TD> 0.5%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Always justifiable<\/TD> 1.2%<\/TD> 1.2%<\/TD> 0.5%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 987 <\/TD> 1219 <\/TD> 371 <\/TD> <\/TR>
Abortion<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Never justifiable<\/TD> 59.8%<\/TD> 62.9%<\/TD> 61.3%<\/TD> <\/TR>
2<\/TD> 10.6%<\/TD> 9.7%<\/TD> 11.5%<\/TD> <\/TR>
3<\/TD> 7.7%<\/TD> 5.9%<\/TD> 7.5%<\/TD> <\/TR>
4<\/TD> 4.8%<\/TD> 4.8%<\/TD> 2.4%<\/TD> <\/TR>
5<\/TD> 6.6%<\/TD> 7.9%<\/TD> 8.5%<\/TD> <\/TR>
6<\/TD> 2.9%<\/TD> 2.6%<\/TD> 2.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
7<\/TD> 2.3%<\/TD> 1.7%<\/TD> 2.4%<\/TD> <\/TR>
8<\/TD> 2.0%<\/TD> 2.0%<\/TD> 0.8%<\/TD> <\/TR>
9<\/TD> 1.1%<\/TD> 0.7%<\/TD> 1.6%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Always justifiable<\/TD> 2.2%<\/TD> 1.8%<\/TD> 1.1%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 989 <\/TD> 1230 <\/TD> 375 <\/TD> <\/TR>
How proud of nationality<\/strong><\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD>
<\/TD> <\/TR>
Very proud<\/TD> 63.7%<\/TD> 62.7%<\/TD> 64.7%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Quite proud<\/TD> 28.9%<\/TD> 29.2%<\/TD> 24.9%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Not very proud<\/TD> 5.4%<\/TD> 6.2%<\/TD> 7.2%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Not at all proud<\/TD> 1.9%<\/TD> 1.9%<\/TD> 3.2%<\/TD> <\/TR>
Total<\/TD> 993 <\/TD> 1233 <\/TD> 374 <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TBODY><\/TABLE><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Like many people I don’t know that much about what’s going on in Iran besides what I read. An Iranian American friend asked me what I thought would happen…which I think goes to show that we’re all in uncharted waters … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[9,15],"tags":[1129,266,240],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2181"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2181"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2186,"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2181\/revisions\/2186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secularright.org\/SR\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}