The Flavour of Life: A Historical-Sociological Approach to Iran's development Phenomenon

The Problem of long experience of underdevelopment phenomenon in contemporary history of Iran, with its geo-political strategic location, has been a source of controversy among the researchers.Institutionalism provides a Sound analytical framework for this controversy. Rezagholi (2004) is an attempt to provide an account of the origins of the problem. Both New and Old Institutionalism Consider the interaction of “individual” and “institutional Structure” as a crucial source for stability and change. The later explains this interaction based on a historical Knowledge and is impressed by historical school. Friedrich List, as an example, takes “production forces” as the analytical framework to explain this interaction. This article, in reference to historical-sociology of Iran’s economy, provides an institutional justification for underdevelopment in Iran. Then, it goes on to look at the experiences of Mir-Mostafa Aalinasab, as a developmentalist producer, once he encountered with the institutional structures in his fruitful life. The article is concluded with a summary review of this upright socioeconomic character of the contemporary Iran.