Conclusion

Abstract

I have tried to trace the development of Kurdish nationalism in Iran through its progression from a society whose economic, social and political relationships and understanding was totally based on the definition of tribe, tribal affiliation and loyalties, to a society whose economic activities, social behavior, and political understanding relates and belongs to a period of our history we refer to as the age of nation-states. I discussed the political movements of the Kurds in Iran in three periods to demonstrate the differences between them, and argued that the distinction was apparent in the way the Kurds comprehended the issue of autonomy and independence. In this progression, I argued, the economic development of Kurdish society at different phases played a great role in determining the way the Kurds saw themselves and expressed their political demands for autonomy.

This is the concluding chapter to my DPhil thesis: The Economic and Social Base of Kurdish Nationalism in Iran.