The Social and Political Effects of Mazdakis on Iran’s Class System During the Sassanid Era

Amongst the Newly Emerging Creeds That Had Been Able to Exert a Considerable Deal of Effect During Sassanid Era on the Then Political and Social Statuses Was the Mindset of Mazdak and his Followers, i. e. Mazdakis. This Movement Challenged the Class Relations and Divulged the Clergymen and Magi’s Influence and Succeeded in Changing Some of the Iranian Society’s Historical and Social Relations. The Present Study Seeks Investigating the Mazdakism’s Political and Social Effects.

The Present Study Uses a Descriptive-Analytical Method to Analyze the Expansion of Mazdakism and its Effect on the Political and Social Relations of the Iranian Society in the Sassanid Era.

Mazdak’s Thoughts Hence Mazdakism Challenged Many of the Social Relations, Including the Domination of Some Classes Such as Clergymen and Magi as Well as the King’s Companions in the Sassanid Era. Amongst the Challenged Issues Was the Proposition of the Equality in Properties and Wives That Could Bring About Attractiveness for the Lower Social Classes That Thought They Can Accordingly Make up for the Oppressions to Which They Had Been Subjected. On the Other Hand, the Sassanid Ghobad, as Well, Took Advantage of Mazdak’s Vast Movement and Announced Himself as a Follower of Mazdakism so as to be Able to Reduce the Power of the Clergymen and Simultaneously Restore the Prior Kingship Relations.

As One of The Essential Pillars of Practicing Policies in the Iranian Society, Parity and Equality Have Been the Source of Evolution in the Society Since Long Ago With Mazdak’s Mindset Being an Applied Manifestation Thereof. Mazdak’s Equality-Seeking Thoughts Made the Lower Social Classes Hopeful in the Establishment of Social and Political Justice and it can be Even Said that they Became Preludes to the Expansion of Equality-Seeking Thoughts Amidst the Religious and Political Creeds in the Later Periods. Although the Idea of Having Equal Shares of Women and Wives Was Raw and Unexpected, it Was Expressive of the Class-Based Suppression in the Time of Sassanids and it Encouraged Everyone to Gather Around and Rise up With Mazdak. In This Way, Mazdak’s Uprising Has Been one of the Turning Points of the Attention to the Establishment of Equal Relations in the Iranian Society.