Strategic Studies Quarterly

Abstract Introduction
This study explores the concept of security within the tradition of Iranian political advice literature, with a particular focus on Saadi’s Bustan. Persian literature played an important role in shaping a form of political thought where writers sought to caution rulers by appealing to ethical principles and the best interests of both rulers and the public. Among these, Saadi’s Bustan stands out as a text that offers a distinctive political perspective, representing a shift within the tradition of Iranian political advice literature. Saadi’s view is grounded in a unique understanding of human nature. He locates the legitimacy and grandeur of political power in the people, urging rulers to prioritize the public good and protect their subjects.
Due to Saadi’s distinctive anthropology and his different view of the basis of political legitimacy, his writings present a different conception of security—one that can be called “human security” or “people-centered security.”
Building on this new perspective on politics and legitimacy, and drawing on Saadi’s unique ideas about human nature, this paper seeks to identify the security guidelines embedded in Bustan.
 
Methodology
This study uses a qualitative approach with thematic analysis. We employ a three-stage coding process—open coding, axial coding, and selective coding—to carefully examine the text of Bustan and identify the security-related themes that are woven throughout.
 
Discussion and Results
Saadi’s understanding of security is deeply rooted in his political anthropology. While he recognizes that political power in Iran was traditionally pastoral, absolute, and despotic, he introduces a significant shift in Iranian political advice literature by grounding political legitimacy in the people rather than in the ruler alone.
For Saadi, a secure society is the natural outcome of just and fair governance. Security depends on rulers exercising power through a framework of values and concepts that prioritize justice. The ruler must understand that his power comes from the people and must use it to create a just and secure society. He must take into account the needs of different social classes, seek counsel from elders and youth alike, respect both warriors and scholars, rely on knowledge and wisdom, employ capable individuals, act wisely against enemies, punish those who threaten public safety, and support foreigners, merchants, and traders to foster a positive image of the country internationally.
From Saadi’s perspective, a secure society is the direct result of such responsible and just governance. Security is the ruler’s responsibility, and the people remain the primary security referent object.
 
Conclusion
In Bustan, security emerges as a complex, multi-dimensional concept fundamentally shaped by the ruler’s approach to governance. If rulers govern based on divine will, immutable natural laws, and the transient nature of human life—while upholding principles like justice, fairness, wisdom, tolerance, and public welfare—they can ensure social security and peace. Saadi insists that security and peace are unattainable without these elements.
Since Saadi lived in an era when monarchs held absolute and unchecked power, he used ideas like fatalism, immutable natural laws, and human mortality to remind rulers that political power is a tool meant to protect and serve the people—not a personal, divine right or an inherited privilege. Political power, in this view, belongs collectively to society and must be used for the common good.
This understanding of political power, where legitimacy depends on the consent of the governed, anticipates key ideas of modern political thought and remains highly relevant today. In a time when states dominate politics and security is mainly defined in national terms, the concept of human security—which can be traced back to classical texts like Bustan—offers a valuable alternative.
By shifting the focus of security to ordinary people—once seen as “subjects” but now acknowledged as citizens—and basing rulers’ legitimacy on their consent and support, this approach puts the safety and well-being of the people at the core of policymaking. This shift in political legitimacy—from divine right to popular approval—places the security and comfort of citizens at the very center of governance.

Abstract The question is basically how to conceptualize security policy making based on "people's happiness"? It seems that we can answer this question by critically rethinking the theoretical foundations of security policy according to global conditions, changes in the values ​​and political norms, changes in the nature of national threats and also changes in the nature of the "needs" and "wants" of the people in the era. In this article, which is done based on a descriptive-explanatory method and on a fundamental-theoretical research, the research using critical social-philosophical concepts, critical theory of international relations, critical theory of security, security and happiness plan, a conceptual regulation attempts to determine the requirements of the security determination policy in today's conditions.

Abstract The UNDP 1994 report introduced a new security approach called as “human security” that protects human being with all possible needs. Concurrent with this initiative and given the UNSC reaction against developments in Rwanda and Kosovo, the “responsibility to Protect” doctrine emerged as a new concept. Due to these new developments, the paper aims to answer the question that what the role of responsibility to protect is in ensuring human security? And whether the human security can be a proper base to realization of responsibility to protect?.

Abstract The Canadian Consortium on human security in 2007 has defined human security as a people-Centered approach to foreign policy, which argues that sustainable stability is based on protecting people from dangers against their rights, health and life. Human security contrary to national security considers threats against citizens and doesn’t limit security studies to defend the territorial boundaries. In comprehensive defense approach, besides considering military aspects of countering threats, we must consider threats against human security. This article using comprehensive defense approach, tries to distinguish threats against national security emerging from human security domain, then to analyze their effects on national security and at last to propose the ways to counter these threats.

Abstract this article, while tries to define political economy and it’s link with national defence, reviews imbalance, inefficiency, innovation in national defence services and other new theories  about defence requirements in new situation. After describing mutual effects of economy and national defence in military aspect, author tries to devise the model of interaction between these arenas. Author argues that military section in Iran by acting  in five areas is doing it’s role in national defence: strengthening military industry, support of  industrial section of economy, executing public economic plans, protecting transportation and trade lines of country beyond the borders, protecting cyber infrastructures.    

Abstract

The political, cultural and economic structures have got increasing role in ecological developments. The existing data and findings are indicating the scope of devastative role of the human beings in degradation of the environment at the local as well as global level. As an implication of this role, the human security has been challenged globally and the environmental crisis has emerged in the multilayer security situation and finally the balance of the environment has been disordered. Unfortunately, the trend of the environment degradation has been increasing inIranduring the recent decades; as such we are the worst in some cases. Most of the above results are due to geographic location and topography of the land inIran, less attention to sustainability of the environment in planning and construction of the buildings, public unawareness and weak attention of the governmental organizations. Therefore, it seems that continuity of this situation, at least in the next two decades, will face the country with durable, costly and long lasting security challenges.

Abstract

During this present decade, the concept of "fragile states" has become very important in the international politics. Also, human security has entered the literature of this field from the last decade of the twentieth century. This assay tries to investigate the fragile states' effect on human security. So, it has discussed fragile states, factors determining fragility, and the formation of this kind of states. Fragile states intensify human security crisis because of their inability in providing public services and performing their prevalent governmental role in security and development fields.In addition, this piece of writing investigates the necessity of a change in present approaches to the security and emphasis the role of national state, paying attention to the protect responsibility, and the role of international society in dealing with the fragile states problem.

Abstract As two paradigms, Human Security and Sustainable Development approaches, gained importance in the post-cold war era, with the leading role of UN organizations. Proposing these paradigms, suggests that the scholars and researchers had observed some inconsistencies in the former paradigms of security studies. Then in a near look, this becomes evident that these paradigms criticize the similar subjects (such as state-centred strategies for obtaining security and overlooking the true needs of human beings, neglecting the environmental dimension of security and rights of future generations) and propose some similar guidelines(giving priority to human individual in the evaluating and preparing the list of threats, focusing on protecting the Environment and its importance in the securing the health and security for human beings and the well-being and the life quality of future generations, taking into consideration the newer threats, especially threats of the global scale, and paying attention to the political arena and participation, poverty and threats it causes).   Then, it can be argued that, there will be many overlaps and similarities between two paradigms, among others these paradigms rest on common tenets (society, economy and environment), although with some nuances in emphases. In this paper, after investigating the content of two paradigms, the lessons that these two can learn from each other will be discussed and it will argued that according the aforementioned arguments , these two can be merged in a comprehensive and single paradigm which probably will be called “Sustainable Human Security” paradigm.

Abstract Human security is the last paradigm of security studies in the 21^st century and constitutes the new agenda for security studies. The current paper illustrates the place of human security, as a popular approach and based on long term satisfaction of the people, within the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. To this end, the theoretical aspect of the issue is considered first and then under the light of this understanding, the relevant provisions of the constitution is considered. The author of this paper argues that the very idea of human security lies within the context of the constitution which sets the limits of national security and its boundaries and limits; it does not overlap or replace the national security.

Abstract The report of the UN Development Program (UNDP) in 1994 describes human security as a situation in which the people are free of any pressures and restrictions surrounding human development.   This survey considers the questions that why the concept of human security enters into the security related texts and research circles. It also raises another question regarding the aims of the concept and its usefulness. Finally the paper concludes with discussing the link between human oriented and state oriented security.   For the author of this paper, the concept of human security demonstrates that it is not enough to limit the analyses to merely realism, as the dominant paradigm in the context of state oriented security, but this concept calls for Realism to explain that when state is not a tool of security, why we should assume it as the reference of security?

Abstract     Various theories have been developed during the past decade on human security; but most of them have remained at the theorization level and have failed to offer an assessable idea at the practical domain. This research discusses the most renowned methodologies for assessment of human security including the theory of general poverty, human security assessment, human security indicator, project for change in world environment and human security, report method of human security and TillerIn the Unitedincluding economic security, health safety, social safety, environmental security and personal security. This conceptualization of human security is one of the broadest and complete perceptions of security and at the same time has been subject to harsh criticisms due to its broad inclusiveness without creating a firm systematic relationship among its elements.Indexing and models of assessment discussed in the writing are based upon such views it as more suitable than the other models.    

Abstract Human security is one of the concepts which have been developed in order to go beyond the traditional sense of security and national security. With respect to human security, there is relative consensus on a fairly comprehensive definition that includes the maintenance of the critical mass of all human kinds vis-à-vis the prevailing threats, consistent with long-term human fulfillment and flourishing. This writing examines the difference of human security from related concepts such as individual security, human development, human rights and sustainable development and then describes strategies for the realization of human security, that is conservation strategy and empowerment. To propose and explain the idea of human security is of importance both theoretically and in policy-making terms. From a theoretical point of view, developing human security is considerable in a more comprehensive and complete view toward the category of security. In terms of decision-making, human security can also help design strategy, (re)formulate priorities and replace some of them, give priority to software elements along with hardware ones, boost civil society and institutions and pay attention to fairer distribution of resources.

Abstract This article intends to analyze and appraise the social foundations of social security. The author believes that states can conventionally play four roles including removal of conflict, representation of society, expediency, and reconstruction of human and a modern society. From among the four functions, the second and third functions appear appropriate to the analysis of the state in the Third World countries. These different behavioral patterns necessitate national security in the Third World be considered as arising from a specific formation continuing historically and socially rather than the result of international power structure or autocratic regimes. On this ground, this article seeks to view national security as a variable dependent on social processes and relations. Such an argument is derived from the assumption that despite the increase in state vulnerability, the area of citizens’ power has grown as well. This equation demands a new comprehensive analysis, which in recent versions is translated into the strength of society and state efficiency and legitimacy in reducing domestic harms and foreign threats and not just into the absolute state authority.