The Epistemological Foundations of State Intervention in the Economy in the 1980s (with a Focus on Imam Khomeini’s Velayat-e Faqih)

Document Type : Research Article / Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student in Muslim Social Science, Department of Islamic Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Islamic Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

During the 1980s, the scope and limits of state intervention in Iran’s economy became the subject of significant debate between two divergent interpretations of Imam Khomeini’s theory of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist). Prior to the revolution, Shiʿa jurisprudence had largely embraced an individual-centered approach that upheld private property rights and confined governmental involvement to the boundaries of established jurisprudential rules, most notably the principle of taslit (dominion over property). By contrast, Imam Khomeini and several of his followers—most notably Ayatollah Beheshti—advanced a substantially broader interpretation within the framework of “governmental jurisprudence.” This approach attributed extensive authority to the Wali al-Faqih, prioritizing maslahat (public interest) and the preservation of the Islamic system and revolutionary order over strict adherence to traditional jurisprudential norms. Within this framework, the Wali al-Faqih is empowered to restrict or modify otherwise legitimate private property rights in pursuit of higher systemic interests. This theoretical foundation served to legitimize and philosophically underpin expansive state intervention in economic affairs, particularly under extraordinary conditions such as war. Employing a documentary and library-based research methodology, this study draws on jurisprudential sources, historical documents, and jurists’ opinions, utilizing content analysis to examine the impact of the theory of absolute Velayat-e Faqih on economic policymaking. The findings underscore the central role of maslahat in prioritizing public welfare and regime preservation over traditional jurisprudential constraints, thereby facilitating the moderation of previously restrictive legal interpretations. Moreover, tensions between jurists and economic experts regarding the appropriate extent of state involvement in the economy were resolved through recourse to the authority of the Wali al-Faqih and the operative function of maslahat. Overall, the theory of absolute Velayat-e Faqih provided the principal source of legitimacy for expanded state intervention in the economy, particularly during the first half of the decade.

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Social Theories of Muslim Thinkers
Volume 15, Issue 4
December 2025
Pages 41-58

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 27 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 05 August 2025
  • Publish Date: 22 December 2025

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