Reza Shah’s rise and rule

1921-41

Constitutional Revolution; 1905-11

• Revolution led by an “awkward coalition” (C) of bazaar merchants, ulama and radical reformers

• Spark: the D’Arcy oil concession, capitulations, loans from Europe and Shah’s economic policy European economic penetration

• 1905: Large protest movement• 1906: Shah called for the creation of a

constituent assembly (Majilis)

Majlis

• Oct. 1906: The first Majlis met– The Fundamental Law;

• legislature granted final authority over loans, concessions, treaties and budgets

– The Supplementary Fundamental Laws; • rights of citizens defined, legislature granted authority

over the appointment and dismissal of ministers• Twelver Shi’ism official religion and a religious “supreme

committee” had the final say over new laws – the gained the right to review and verify that laws conformed to the Shari’ah

Chaos and civil war; 1907-• Deteriorating economic situation; inflation, high food prices

lower-class discontentMass support for Qajar restoration• Entente between Russia and Britain divided Iran into spheres of

influence constitutional government had failed in preventing European influence

• June 1908: Counterrevolution – the Cossack Brigade closed the Majlis, leading constitutionalists arrested and executed and royal authority reestablished

• June 1908- May 1909: Civil War• Summer 1909: Two tribal forces entered Tehran, the Shah was

deposed in favor of his son and the Majlis was reconvened

Second Majlis• August 1909• The scene for constant friction in the “awkward coalition” of

merchants, ulama and reformersGovernment became paralyzed tribal leaders stronger law and

order broke down in rural areas• 1911: British occupation of southern Iran to protect oil concession• 1911: Russia invaded the north – demanded dismissal of US

financial adviser granted after the prime minister and cabinet were dissolved

• 1914: the Majlis suspended, Iran governed by ministers closely monitored by Russia and Britain, north and south under foreign occupation

Anglo-Persian Agreement

• 1917: Russian Revolution Russia temporarily removed from Iran

• 1918-21; Britain’s interference in Iran increased to protect its oil interests and contain Bolshevism attempted to stabilize the situation in their own favor

• August 1919: the Anglo-Persian Agreement signed – Britain would give a loan and Iran would in return give Britain total control of its finances, army, economy and administration de facto protectorate

Anti-foreign demonstrations broke out in major cities

The 1921 coup d’etat• February: Reza Khan led a contingent of the Cossack Brigade into Tehran,

arrested prominent politicians and requested the appointment of Sayyid Zia Tabatabai as prime minister

• The Shah agreed new cabinet formed with Reza Khan as army commander and minister of defense/minister of war

• May 1921: Sayyid Zia resigned• Huge budget increases for the armed forces approved by the Majlis –

controlled by Reza Khan• 1923: Reza Khan appointed as prime minister• Shah went on vacation to Europe never to return…• 1925: The Qajar dynasty deposed and constituent assembly convened by

the Majlis voted to hand over he crown to Reza Khan’s family• 1926: The Pahlavi dynasty began

Reza Shah• Born into a Turkish

speaking family in 1878; Caspian province

• Educated in the military; joined the Cossack Brigade at a young age

• Promoted to Colonel/Commander when the Russians left

• Tall and “proud bearing” “commanding presence”

Power base• Needed to obtain legitimacy and popularity

– # 1 priority: Order and unity -> had to defeat rebels– # 2 priority: Create his own “tribe”

Control of army– 1926: Universal conscription law passed– Close relationship to the officer corps

Control of the bureaucracy– Centralized power increase bureaucracy; cadre of loyal civil servants

Skillful use of court patronage– Vast landholdings, hotels, casinos and charities used to gain

supporters

Ruling principles

Tradition and continuity• Did not intend to restructure the existing political order;

maintained the monarchy and appeased the ulama• Majlis reduced to a rubber stamp for his legislation• Kept the constitution, but “simply ignored” if necessary• Personal power maintained by censorship, abolition of

opposition parties, banning of trade unions and occasional murder of high-ranking officials

Nationalism and change• Westernization and centralization

Unification

• 4 main areas of trouble: Gilan, Khurasan, Azerbaijan and Kurdistan

Restored to central control by the end of 1922• The British-tribal “working friendship” in

Khuzistan ended in 1924; army sent in with tacit approval by the British

• The rest of tribal, southern Iran also brought under Tehran’s control by 1930

Reforms

• Centralization:– Used the army to gain control over tribes/weaken tribal

leaders:• Military garrisons established in tribal areas, tribes were disarmed,

their lands confiscated and migration patterns restricted

• Modernization/westernization:– Secularism: Legal, judicial and educational reform

• The religious establishment was “shaken, but it was not broken” (C)– Dress code; name reform– Education– Nationalism

Education

• High priority funds provided by state• Dramatic increase in primary and secondary

school enrollment• Majority of secondary and university

graduates entered government service creation of a distinct bureaucratic class

• Religious schools not abolished

Nationalism• Attempted to replace the tribal relations with loyalty to the nation• “Dynastic nationalism”• Focus on pre-Islamic achievements of the ancient Persian empires• Aryan origins emphasized• Patriotic attitudes nursed in schools• Scouting movement established to promote “nationalistic

sentiments”• Minority languages and ethnic costumes banned• Persian language purged of Turkish and Arabic words• Society of Public Guidance (Institute for the Orientation of Public

Opinions) established; radio broadcasts, pamphlets and journals used to spread the state sanctioned “gospel” of nationalism

Women

• Reza Shah’s policies regarding women aimed to “increase their participation in national life” not to “improve their legal status” (C)

• Women were never granted the right to vote, polygamy permitted, difficult for women (easy for men) to initiate divorce proceedings

Economic reform• Increased revenue to the state:

– Collection of taxes more efficient– Import tariffs raised– Indirect taxes introduced on consumer items (unpopular among poor)

• Transportation system improved to encourage trade• No foreign loans taken• State sponsored industrialization projects; direct financing or

low-interest loans and monopolies• Government controlled and inefficient• Stagnant situation in rural areas; agricultural development

neglected

Oil

• Reza Shah never gained control over the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC)

• Largest industrial employer in the country• New agreement signed in 1933; royalty

payment 16 % 20 % of profits, concession extended to 1993

Social situation

• Urban population increased dramatically• Rural situation worsened:– Power of the large landowners strengthened; Reza

Shah # 1 landlord– Quality of life for peasants reduced; 95-98% of the

agricultural population was landless! Brutal exploitation of peasants

Important dates– 1923:The Shah left for his European vacation– 1924: Two year compulsory military service– 1926: Reza crowned himself– 1927: Ministry of Justice formed– 1928: New civil code modeled on that of France– 1928: Capitulation law annulled– 1928: Dress code for men; European style required– 1932: Ulamas no longer had the right to register legal documents– 1933: New agreement on the oil concession signed– 1935: Persia Iran; the land of the Aryans– 1935: Tehran University– 1935: Wearing a hat compulsory for men– 1936: Wearing of veil banned– 1936: Judges in the new state courts had to hold a law degree from a secular university– 1938: Railroad route linking Caspian Sea to Persian Gulf opened– 1939: State seized all waqf lands

Downfall

• Reza Shah cultivated ties to Germany as a counterweight to Britain’s dominance in Iran Reza Shah abdicated in favor of his son after the USSR and Britain invaded Iran in 1941 b