The fertility transition in Iran
Ladier Fouladi, Marie
Population 51(6): 1101-1127
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0032-4663 DOI: 10.2307/2953831Document Number: 532843
In Iran, fertility has remained high for a long time, and only began to decline significantly during the second half of the 1980s. That the fertility transition in Iran began under the Islamic Republic's regime leads one to question the hypothesis that the resurgence of Islam on the political and legal scene was responsible for the high level of fertility and the delayed transition. In fact, changes in the law, and more specifically the institutionalization of the sharia rules did not affect demographic developments. The delayed beginning of the transition may be explained by the poor cultural and socioeconomic environment which resulted in successive governments granting considerable support to facilitate the transition. An examination of both close and remote determinants clearly shows that evolving sociocultural and economic circumstances, are the principal cause of fertility decline. Given that the transition actually occurred in post-revolutionary Iran, suggests the need for a review of analyses based on political speeches and which neglects the very real changes in society that have occurred in Iran.