Political System, National Security and Influence Spheres of Intelligence Organizations in Governance

The presence of intelligence organizations in different aspects of governance including political، economic and social ones has been one of the serious concerns for researchers and public opinion. The most important question in this regard is that what factors play role in identifying the quantity and quality of intelligence organizations’ interference in different spheres of governance and why various issues place in the agenda of intelligence services while the nature of different intelligence services is the same. By presenting two complementary hypotheses، this article shows that the type of political system and its interpretation about national security in different countries are the determining variables of the influence spheres for intelligence organizations. On this basis، authoritarianism in public administration culminates in broadening the agenda of intelligence services while democracy causes narrowing these spheres. On the other hand، reductionist or integrated interpretation of national security، in its turn، culminates in narrowing or broadening the agenda of intelligence in governance.