Analyzing the Impact of Administrative System Efficiency on the Cohesion and Effectiveness of the Social System: Legal Challenges and Solutions

Abstract

The administrative system, as one of the principal pillars of governance, plays a pivotal role in the cohesion and effectiveness of the social system. The efficiency of this system directly affects public trust, social justice, civic participation, and sustainable development. In Iran, structural challenges such as centralization, administrative corruption, legal complexity, weak judicial oversight, and digital lag have threatened social cohesion. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of administrative system efficiency on the cohesion and effectiveness of the social system, with a focus on identifying challenges and proposing legal solutions. This study adopts a descriptive–analytical approach from a legal perspective. Data were collected and analyzed from statutory documents, valid domestic reports (such as those of the Parliamentary Research Center), international reports (including those of the World Bank and Transparency International), classical theoretical frameworks (Weber, Parsons, and North), and practical case examples. The key challenges include structural corruption (leading to a decline in social capital), excessive centralization (restricting participation), digital weakness (reducing transparency), and inadequate judicial oversight (undermining sustainable development). These factors have diminished public trust, exacerbated inequality, and threatened social cohesion under current conditions in 2026 amid economic crises and social protests. The principal domains of impact include social order, public service delivery, justice, development, and participation, all of which are dependent on legal frameworks. Legal reforms such as simplifying regulations, strengthening judicial independence, implementing structural anti-corruption measures, developing digital governance frameworks, and advancing decentralization can enhance administrative efficiency and restore social cohesion. The implementation of these solutions requires political will and inter-institutional cooperation to achieve a just and sustainable society.