How did government corruption damage support for the Pahlavi monarchy?

During the 1970s, the perception that the government was plagued by corruption and incompetence significantly eroded support for the Pahlavi monarchy. While the regime oversaw rapid economic growth and modernization, these successes were often overshadowed by the failure to deliver on promised improvements to the standard of living for the general population.12

The public’s frustration was fueled by several key factors:

• Economic Inequality: Despite a boom in oil revenues, wealth was distributed unevenly, and high inflation stagnated the buying power of ordinary Iranians.31
• Failed Projects: The government’s focus on high-cost development programs and military expenditures often ignored the practical needs of the people, leading to a sense that too much was attempted too soon.142
• Political Repression: The lack of political participation, combined with the activities of the secret police (SAVAK)—which utilized censorship, surveillance, and torture to suppress dissent—alienated diverse groups, including students, intellectuals, and the clergy.314
• Disenchantment: New migrants from the countryside, struggling with the cultural vacuum of urban life and poor living conditions, increasingly turned to the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as an alternative to the perceived corruption of the shah’s regime.152