Approaches in sociology and development

Historical Obstacles to the Growth of Capitalism in Iran: A Comparative and Critical Analysis of Ahmad Ashraf's Views

Document Type : Research-review

Authors

amane abbasi 1
Daruosh Rezapour 2

1 Department of Social Sciences, Payam Noor University, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Payam Noor University, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/jasd.2026.235931
Abstract
Abstract
This study aims to provide a critical analysis of the content of Historical Barriers to the Growth of Capitalism in Iran by Ahmad Ashraf, examining in structural terms the historical causes underlying the underdevelopment of industrial capitalism in Iran. The research employs a directed qualitative content analysis approach, drawing on concepts derived from theories of historical institutionalism, dependent development, and the developmental state in order to code the text and extract its key themes.
The findings indicate that the barriers to the growth of capitalism in Iran can be classified at two levels: internal barriers (including tribal structure, economic and political insecurity, and inhibiting social structures) and external barriers (such as colonialism, the penetration of the global economy, and inefficient economic investment). These two sets of factors have operated through a cycle of reproducing structural dependency, thereby preventing the emergence of productive classes and effective institutions.
A comparative analysis with the experiences of Turkey and India shows that weakness in the will for institutional reform and the absence of a developmental state are among the major factors distinguishing Iran from these countries. In its final analysis, while the present study affirms the historical richness of Ashraf’s work, it also emphasizes its theoretical limitations and its neglect of the possibility of structural reform. By considering the historical continuity of developmental barriers in Iran, this study highlights the necessity of rethinking the country’s current political and economic institutions.

Keywords

Capitalism
Underdevelopment
Historical Institutionalism
Dependent Economy
Qualitative Content Analysis
Ahmad Ashraf
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  • Receive Date 03 September 2025
  • Revise Date 26 September 2025
  • Accept Date 11 November 2025

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