The Study of Meritocracy in the Policy-making System 0f the Islamic Republic of Iran in Theory and Practice (with emphasis on legislative and executive powers)

In the Islamic government, taking up posts and positions, especially those which are concerned with large- scale policy-makings and decision-makings, must be done on the basis of the principle of meritocracy, and arrangements have to be made for the meritocratic people to hold posts and positions. From the Islamic perspective, meritocracy can be thought of as comprising two main elements: piety and specialty. Accordingly, applying the principle of meritocracy in the Islamic government requires that a system should be devised by which only those who are the most devout and who have the necessary specialty (the most deserving people) to take up various positions. Referring to the relevant documents and drawing upon the descriptive- analytic method, the article attempts to study the issue in question in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This study which has been conducted both theoretically and practical, shows in brief that with the existing mechanism and system, there will be no guarantee that the principle of meritocracy which is favored by Islam can be applied both in theory and in practice.