ilies of the farm population benefited from the reforms. From
             1960-72 the percentage of owner occupied farmland in Iran rose from 26 to
             78 percent. Per capita income rose from $176 in 1960 to $2,500 in 1978.
             From 1970-77 the gross national product was reported to increase to an
             annual rate of 7.8% ("Iran" 896). As a result of this thriving economy, the
             income gap rapidly widened. Exclusive homes, extravagant restaurants, and
             night clubs and streets loaded with expensive automobiles served as daily
             reminders of a growing income spread. This created a perfect environment
             for many conflicts to arise between the classes. Iran's elite class consisted of
             wealthy land owners, intelligencia, military leaders, politicians, and diplomats.
             The Elite continued to support the monarchy and the Shah. The peasants
             were victim of unfulfilled political expectations, surveillance by the secret
             police, and the severe social and economic problems that resulted from
             modernization. The middle class favored socialism over capitalism, because
             capitalism in their view supported the elite, and does not benefit the lower
             classes. The middle class was the most changeable element in the group,
             because they enjoyed some of the privileges of the elite, which they would
             like to protect. At the same time, they believed that they had been cheated by
             the...