Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Ayoub Menati ¹
• Taha ashayeri ²

¹ Assistant Professor of Regional Studies, Department of Law and Political Science, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction
Development is a long-term process that requires specific structures and conditions, which emerge gradually over the course of history. After the 1979 Revolution, Iranian society experienced various political changes. The growing participation in elections from 1978 to 2024 reflects a process of political maturation and development within the society. Research indicates that political developments, democratic changes, and citizens’ reliance on participation and elections during historical transformations are influenced by various factors—most notably the levels of economic, cultural, and social capital. These variables have played a significant and vital role in shaping the political development of Iranian society. In this respect, the present study aimed to examine Iran’s political development as manifested in research studies published during 2005–2024. It sought to address the following questions: (1) Is there a significant relationship between social capital and political development? (2) Is there a significant relationship between cultural capital and political development? And (3) is there a significant relationship between economic capital and political development? The study is based on the hypothesis that social, economic, and cultural capital simultaneously influence the realization of political development.
Literature Review
Political development can be defined as the process of adjustment between traditional patterns of life and new societal demands. One of its initial steps is the formation of a national state. Political development may manifest across the general population, at the state level, or in the organizational structure of the political system. Historically, the concept first referred to achieving individual goals through planning, but over time it came to signify movement from the status quo toward a more desirable situation. Gradually, the concept of political development became associated with political empowerment, political competence, political participation, and political culture. In broad terms, development is a process in which social transformation occurs; in which changes emerge in the social system, political organization, and leadership, and human capabilities expand along with political functions and capacities.
Materials and Methods
This study used meta-analysis to examine Iran’s political development as manifested in research studies. Meta-analysis estimates the overall effect size by synthesizing results from multiple studies as a single analytical unit. The current analysis focused on the published articles, the year of publication, and the key independent and dependent variables. Several keywords were used to retrieve the relevant articles from the databases such as Noormags, Civica, IranDoc, and Magiran. The timeframe was limited to the period 2005–2024. In total, 99 studies were initially identified. After screening them for methodological rigor, credibility, validity, and scientific relevance, 56 documents were selected for analysis. The analysis used CMA2 software and Cohen’s d and Fisher’s effect size tests to estimate the final effect size for each study, as well as the total final effect size.
Results and Discussion
According to the findings, social capital has the strongest positive and significant relationship with political development, with an effect coefficient of 0.563. Among its components, social trust (0.621) showed the greatest impact. Cultural capital also demonstrates a positive and significant relationship with political development, with an effect coefficient of 0.472; within this dimension, media literacy (0.410) and religious affiliation (0.335) have played prominent roles in the process of political development in Iran. In contrast, economic capital has the weakest—though still significant—relationship with political development, with an effect coefficient of 0.280. Concerning economic capital, the component of economic participation (0.316) contributed the most. Overall, the results suggest that political development in Iran is influenced more by social and cultural capital than by economic factors. Moreover, strengthening trust, social cohesion, and civic awareness can provide an appropriate foundation for the realization of political development.
Conclusion
Relying on a meta-analysis of 56 research studies published during 2005–2024, the current analysis examined the relationship between three forms of capital—social, cultural, and economic—and political development in Iran. Political development refers to the enhancement of civic capacity, political activism, political awareness, and the realization of citizenship rights within a democratic framework, including attention to minority rights alongside the majority rule. In the research model, this variable demonstrated an effect coefficient of r = 0.563, indicating a substantial ability to explain and predict the level of political development. Given the identified rational patterns, political development is defined as the growth of political awareness, political culture, citizens’ inclination toward democracy, democratic values, and political participation. As levels of social, cultural, and economic capital increase, the tendency towards values associated with political development also rises.

Keywords

• Social Capital
• Cultural Capital
• Economic Capital
• Political Development
• Equality
• Social Justice

Main Subjects

• Political Sociology