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40 Years of Revolution Economics Have Failed Iran
(Atlantic Council) Nadereh Chamlou - After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, massive nationalization and expropriations essentially removed Iran's emerging entrepreneurial and industrial class that had risen in the 1960s and 1970s. Contrary to a belief that they benefited from the Shah's crony capitalism, most early industrialists came from humble beginnings and were self-made businessmen. Nearly all industrialists emigrated and built successful businesses abroad while grooming their next generation into leaders in cutting-edge global corporations. The expropriated companies in Iran were handed over to trusted ideological insiders. Cronyism combined with corruption, vested interests, policy unpredictability, and a cumbersome business environment stymie would-be entrepreneurs. The writer is former senior advisor to the Chief Economist of the Middle East and North Africa Region at the World Bank.