How does the Bazaar influence Iranian politics?

• A. It runs elections directly
• B. It controls the armed forces
• C. It appoints Guardian Council clerics
• D. Bazaar merchants coordinate economic interests, mobilize support for or against governments, and can sway policy through organized collective action

Answer: (D)

The question tests how informal social actors shape Iranian politics through economic leverage and organized collective action. The Bazaar, a network of merchants and shopkeepers across Iran, exerts influence not by formal offices but by coordinating economic interests and mobilizing people. Through organized actions like strikes, demonstrations, boycotts, and public pressure, Bazaar merchants can sway government policy and push for or against certain policies. This kind of influence relies on social networks, economic power, and the ability to mobilize collective action, making it a powerful informal counterweight to political actors.

This isn’t about formal state power. Elections are run by state institutions; the armed forces are controlled by the state and security apparatus; and Guardian Council clerics are appointed through the government and religious authorities, not by merchants.