هياتهاي مذهبي و تشكلهاي صنفي به مثابه سازمان هاي غير دولتي و مطالعه موردي دوره قاجاريه

Religious and Guild Associations as Non-Governmental Organizations: The Quajar Period

Emergence of Non-Governmental Organizations varies in different countries because of social- cultural, economic, and political differences. Historical preconditions such as cultural tendency toward pluralization and civil society have enhanced this appearance in some nations. What separates NGOs from private and governmental organizations are some characteristics such as solidarity, voluntary participation of members, mutual values, autonomy, cooperation and non-profit affiliation. Although the Iranian society did not have a modern civil society at the time, within a despotic structure, people had realized that they were, nevertheless, able to gain a public identity and reduce governmental pressures through religious and guild associations. Guilds and religious associations of Quajar period had the following special characteristics of NGOs: 1) they had no affiliation to the government; 2) they were non-profit organizations; 3) they had special rules and regulations; 4 ) they were based on non-political activities; 5) they had charitable activities and 6) they were benevolent organizations. In fact one may consider that historical background of religious and guild associations in Iran could be a good exercise and a bridge to the modern civil society and emergence of effective modem NGOs.