Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Associate Prof of Political Science Department of Political Science University of Mazandaran Babolsar.Iran
2
Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar Iran.
10.22126/mps.2025.12709.1087
Abstract
The Mazdakite movement was one of the most significant and controversial socio-religious events of the Sasanian era, challenging the foundations of Zoroastrian cosmology and confronting the political structure and legitimacy of the time. This article, through an analytical approach, examines the conflict between Mazak's teachings and concepts such as Asha (cosmic order) and khvarenah (divine glory), showing that Mazak's ideas aimed not only at economic justice but also at a fundamental transformation of Iran’s religious and social order. Mazak's promotion of communal ownership of property and women led to the weakening of the family institution, private ownership, and social hierarchy, ultimately destabilizing the spiritual unity of society and the legitimacy of its power structures. Although the movement is initially viewed as a voice for the oppressed and lower classes, in practice, its consequences included the collapse of long-standing social norms, moral and political instability, and the erosion of legitimizing institutions. The harsh suppression of the movement by Khosrow I Anushirvan was not merely a political act, but an effort to restore sacred order and preserve the integrity of the Sasanian state. Analysis of historical sources and the perspectives of later Iranian thinkers reveals that opposition to Mazak was primarily rooted in the defense of social cohesion, the sanctity of the family institution, and the continuity of religious-political legitimacy. This article seeks to move beyond simplistic interpretations and offers a multilayered and realistic portrayal of the nature, motivations, and consequences of the Mazdakite movement. It demonstrates why, in the eyes of the Sasanian establishment, Mazak's teachings were not seen as reformist, but rather as a threat to the existing order.
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