A Critical Analysis and Re-reading of the International Lions Club’s Performance and the Development of Welfare within Iran’s Civil Sphere (1957-1978 SH)

Rohani Sadr, Hosein; Abdollah, Sajedi; Dehnavi, Nezamali

doi:10.30465/shc.2026.53498.2668

A Critical Analysis and Re-reading of the International Lions Club’s Performance and the Development of Welfare within Iran’s Civil Sphere (1957-1978 SH)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

hosein rohani sadr ¹

sajedi abdollah ²

nezamali dehnavi ³

¹ PhD Student in Iranian History (Post-Islamic Period), Department of History, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

² Assistant Professor and Faculty Member, Department of History, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

³ Associate Professor of History, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30465/shc.2026.53498.2668

Abstract

Lions Clubs International was established in Iran between 1957 and 1978 within a socio-political context characterized by state-led developmental policies, the expansion of dependent capitalism, and the emergence of modern civil institutions. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and drawing upon archival documents, official reports, and published sources, this study examines the intersection of three key elements—political power, economic capital, and organized activities—within the Lions Club and explores its role in promoting social welfare and reproducing the mechanisms of civil society in Iran.

The central question of this research is how Lions Clubs International, operating within the framework of state–society relations and under the influence of prevailing power structures, was able to utilize economic and philanthropic networks to establish a civic model of organization and social participation. The findings indicate that the Club's welfare and humanitarian activities were shaped by broader geopolitical rivalries and by objectives associated with the concealed networks of modern Freemasonry. Supported by the state, the participation of economic elites, and the voluntary engagement of its members, the organization contributed to strengthening certain dimensions of civil society, including civic organization, social responsibility, and participatory networking.

Nevertheless, these activities were not entirely independent of the dominant political and ideological structures of the period; rather, they functioned within a complex interplay of state authority, international influence, and elite interests. Consequently, the case of Lions Clubs International illustrates both the opportunities and the limitations of internationally affiliated organizations in the process of welfare development and civil society formation in modern Iran.

Keywords

Civil society

Development

Lions Club

International institutions

Great powers / Major powers

Subjects

Social history

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