The Role of Good Governance Indicators of Reform, Compassion, and Moderation Governments in Political Development during the Islamic Republic

Talebi Aghdam Malek, Sima; Shakeri Khoei, Ehsan; Banihashemi, Mirghasem

doi:10.22034/api.2025.2074173.1505

The Role of Good Governance Indicators of Reform, Compassion, and Moderation Governments in Political Development during the Islamic Republic

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sima Talebi Aghdam Malek ¹

Ehsan Shakeri Khoei ¹

Mirghasem Banihashemi ²

¹ Department of Political Science and International Relations, Ta.C., Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran

² Department of Iran Security Studies, Strategic Studies Center, Tehran, Iran,

10.22034/api.2025.2074173.1505

Abstract

Research Objective: This research examines the performance of the Khatami, Ahmadinejad, and Rouhani governments in Iran, focusing on the indicators of “good governance” and “political development.” The main objective is to assess the success of each government in institutionalizing principles such as transparency, accountability, political participation, and rule of law, and the impact of these principles on the overall political development process of the country.
Research Methodology: The research was conducted with a descriptive-analytical approach and using a comparative method. Data were collected through the analysis of official documents, international reports, World Bank governance indicators, and domestic and foreign academic sources. By comparing the policies, decision-making structure, and executive performance of the three governments, a realistic picture of the state of governance and the process of political development in the last two decades is presented.Findings: The results show that there is a positive and significant relationship between the indicators of good governance (transparency, accountability, corruption control and quality of regulation) and political development. In the Khatami government, more attention was paid to civil society, press freedom and political participation, but in the Ahmadinejad government, the concentration of power, rentier economy and weak civil institutions limited the realization of many indicators of desirable governance. The Rouhani era, despite some international openings, did not lead to the full realization of good governance due to institutional limitations and increasing bureaucracy.
Conclusion: The continuation of the rentier state structure, the weakness of professional parties, the limitation of political pluralism and institutional obstacles to civil society are the most important factors delaying the formation of desirable governance in Iran. Achieving sustainable political development requires institutional reforms, increasing transparency and strengthening supervisory and civil institutions

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Good governance

political development

Islamic Republic

Khatami

Ahmadinejad

Rouhani

Subjects

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