The Rationalist

by Laura Secor

This is a great article that analyzes Iran's current economic situation, and discusses the history of Iran's economy from the revolution onward. It's not a topic that I ever thought I'd be interested in, but more and more, as the world falls into economic woe, I find I'm curious about how mistakes and mistaken ideologies can have a lasting effect on a country's well-being.

This article mostly focuses on Mohammad Tabibian, Iran's best economic thinker (not that he's often listened to). He has been around throughout the period discussed, and has an interesting perspective on the decision-making process that has gotten Iran to where it is.

What is most interesting is the contrast between Iran and the United States - they are suffering almost opposite problems, for different reasons, with many of the same effects. It seems that economists the world over can tell you what has gone wrong at any given time or place, but solutions seem much more elusive....

(It is also worth taking a few moments to appreciate the gorgeous Adrian Tomine cover on this week's issue).