The Critical Analysis of Orientalists Ideas concerning Security in Iran; Case Study: Sir John Malcom’s Works

Orientalism has been founded on a network of representations, social - political sciences and beliefs and it has developed a distinguished discourse. Iranology considered as one of the branches of orientalism is consistent with it in many aspects. The researches related to orientalism are considered as the main source of developing concepts in relation to the nature of eastern communities and they are applied in the direction of the identification and analysis of these communities. Orientalism clarifies the social relations in the eastern communities with the sovereignty of government based on the eastern dictatorship, lack of civil community and private ownership, stagnation, disagreement between the government and nation, lack of a formulized law, slavish obedience of peasantry from the monarch and lack of political and social stability and security. Malcom, an outstanding Ironologist, provided ideas being so effective on the development of theories pertaining to the nature of government and community and the relations between them. Through the historical analysis method as well as the study of fundamental principles of Malcom’s ideas, this research investigates the concept of security and the strategies taken towards the provision of security in Iran in view of Malcom. The finding of this research indicate that Malcom analyzed the development of security in Iran in view of dictatorship government that succeeded to provide the security by relying on the military power as well as the people’s fear of the government. In his view, Islam religion and its decrees were the cause of developing dictatorship, insecurity and destabilization in the Islamic communities including Iran; while, the provision of security in Iran has been mostly based on the culture, social traditions and religious instructions more than fear of the governed authority.