The Role of Public Interest and Popular Consent in Iranian Governance (A Case Study of Ancient Iranian Inscriptions and Texts)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor, Faculty of Literature and Human sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Ph.D. and Post Doc at the University of Tehran

Abstract
This study explores the role of governance in ancient Iranian texts and the underlying principles of governance during that era. Despite numerous studies on these texts, focusing on governance and reinterpreting them from this perspective offers new insights. An examination of these texts reveals that while governance in ancient Iran was centered on authoritarianism and lacked popular participation, it emphasized concepts such as public good and common interest. The continuation of governance depended on considering the country's interest and justice as a crucial virtue for assessing the ruler's commitment to the people's well-being. This research delves into the position of governance in ancient texts and the foundations of governance practices by employing content analysis to reexamine key historical texts. Accordingly, this research seeks to address the following question: What was the role of governance in ancient texts, and upon what principles were governance practices based? The primary hypothesis of this study is that political governance in ancient Iran was based on three pillars: authoritarianism, comprehensive unity, and consideration of the public good. Despite the absence of popular participation in legitimizing rulers and the lack of a right to resist oppressive rulers, ancient Iranian governance practices placed importance on popular satisfaction and securing the public good, particularly the virtue of justice. This served as a check on absolute despotism and moderated the power of rulers.

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Volume 19, Issue 4 - Serial Number 76
No.76
Autumn 2024
Pages 209-242

  • Receive Date 28 October 2024
  • Revise Date 09 January 2025
  • Accept Date 06 February 2025