The Sociological Analysis of Iran-Iraq War based on Parsons' Theory

Abstract

The present study attempts to analyze Iraq war against Iran based on Parsons' subsystems. The main question aims at finding the social positive/negative functions of the war. According to the studies, the first effect of the war was damaging behavioral organism subsystem so that it couldn't realize its functions. Subsequently, the chaos spread to the personality subsystem. Except for the qualitative and the quantitative development of the defense industries, the war caused failure in most purposes of the first development plan drawn up the behavioral organism subsystem. To create unity and cohesion in the society and based on the specific necessities of wartime, the social subsystem ratified the laws tending to be supportive and economic, though it was not so successful. Eventually, the cultural subsystem which was influenced by the war could revive different values in various eras of wartimes and spread them to the society. It could also issue the necessary orders to other social subsystems so that they could confront the problem relating to the war. At the end of the war this subsystem relatively lost its effectiveness.