Reasons of the Revolution

Errors of the Shah:

• His strong policy of Westernization with a Western power (United States), despite the resulting clash with Iran's Shi'a Muslim identity. Which includes…
  -Setting up Allied Powers and assistance from the CIA in 1953 to restore him to the throne
  -Use of large numbers of Americans military advisers and technicians
  -The granting of diplomatic immunity from prosecution to them
  
  

• Over-spending, corruption and selectiveness of the Shah's policies and of his royal court
  


• His failure to get supporters in the Shi'a religious leadership to oppose Khomeini's campaign against him
  


• Focusing on government surveillance on groups trying to overthrow the government, while the more popular religious resistance organized, grew, and gradually undermined the authority of his government
  

• His individual decisions for the country that violated the Iran Constitution of 1906
  


• His overly ambitious 1974 economic program to meet expectations raised by oil profits which caused inflation
  


• His annoyance of apolitical Iranians, especially merchants of the bazaars
  

• His neglect of governance and preoccupation with playing the world statesmen during the oil boom
  
  
• Underestimation of the strength of the opposition — particularly religious opposition — and the failure to offer either enough incentives to secure agreement
  


• Failure to prepare and train security forces for dealing with protest crowd control without excessive violence
  
  

• Controlled country through a secret police force called the SAVAK
  


• Short for: Organization for Intelligence and National Security
  


• Used by the Shah from 1957 - 1979