ABSTRACT
Sweeping economic developments occurred in Iran in the postrevolutionary period such as: (1) the ration method of purchasing domestic goods; (2) the Islamic religio-political identity and knowledge for recruitment to jobs and benefit of public services; (3) the emergence of a new 'niche' for small and large market enterprises within the free market system; (4) the internal relationship of households to the market economy. These developments were directly and indirectly responsible for changes in household compositions and in the viability of various forms of urban households.
