REZA SHAH & MODERNISATION OF IRAN

Introduction – Only 85% of Iranians lived in villages and about 15% of the population who were landlords held most of the land. The terrain is mountainous; therefore, agriculture is difficult. Even in villages and towns, few families were powerful. Society was feudal. The position of the clergy was very high. Education was almost absent. They followed a very restrictive form of Islam.

Rule of Kajars – The Kajars were a Turkish tribe who came to Iran in 1794 A.D. They defeated several other tribes and established a dynastic monarchy in Iran.

They made Tehran their capital and though in the early 1800s Napoleon attempted to size the area, he was unable to defeat the Kajars.

By the early twentieth century, Russia moved into Northern Iran which upset Britain. England also attempted to get spheres of influence in Iran.

In 1907, Britain and Russia signed the Anglo-Russian Convention. Accordingly, the northern part of Iran was to be under Russian influence and the Southern part under British influence. The middle sphere remained neutral.

In 1917, when Russia pulled out of the war, she lost her position in Iran and British influence these became paramount.

By now the Kajar rulers were heavily in debt through European banking institutions. There was tremendous corruption and economic exploitation in the Imperial Tobacco Company. There was corruption in the Government and socially and economically it remained very backward.

Rise to power – Reza Shah was born in 1878 in a village North East of Tehran. His original name was Reza Khan. He came from a military background and joined the Cassock Brigade of the Iranian army. He had not much formal education. As an excellent soldier he rose swiftly in the ranks. He ended up as commander in the Cassock Brigade.

In 1921, there was an uprising in Iran led by Zir-ud-din Taka Bey (a former newspaper editor) who seized power and disposed off the Shah. Reza Shah was made his minister of war. Three months after the revolution Reza Shah forced Taka Bey to flee Iran.

The Shah of Iran was reinstated, and Reza Shah became the Prime Minister.

In 1923, Reza Shah advised the Shah of Iran to take an European tour. While he was away, Reza declared himself Shah of Iran.

By 1925, Reza Shah had crowned himself the Shah of Iran. The Muslim clergy initially opposed him, but he made the Majlis (Parliament) pass a decree declaring him as Shah and making it compulsory that he be accepted as the Shah. He then began dismissing potential opposers and gave important positions to his supporters.

Reza Shah was attracted by the material aspects of the West and glorified the old Achaemenid and Sassaned ancient empires of Iran. He also wanted to reintroduce Zoroastrianism.

Reforms – Reza Shah reestablished and reorganized a central authority using the army, he forced several tribes to accept his authority and troops were stationed in rebellious provinces.

Economy – To reform finances he invited Dr. Arthus Millsplough (US Economist) to be the advisor administrator general of finances of Iran.

Millsplough was given Cabinet Minister status and total control over Iran’s finances. No expenditure, grants, financial or trade agreements could be made without Millsplough’s permission.

By 1927, Millsplough balanced the budget, reorganized the tax structure and improved economic conditions.

By this time Iran was stable and earning steady income from trade. Only when the economic stability was instituted, Reza Shah began introducing reforms.

Transport and communications – He introduced reforms in transport and communication. He constituted the Trans-Iranian policy that linked Tehran to the Caspian Sea and this increased trade.

The railway began in 1927 and was completed in 1939. What is special is that it was completely financed by Iranian funds. Foreigners were consulted only in technical aspects and in the same way other highways and rail links were built.

Air services were improved, and airmail post was started between Tehran and outlying provinces. In 1938, Imperial Airways was allowed to fly from India to Iraq via Iran.

Security and trade increased, and economy flourished.

 Reorganization of the army – Reza Shah paid a great deal of attention to the army. He reorganized the structure, introduced strict discipline, and regularized salaries. Along with the army he defeated provincial rebellions including those in Khorasan and Azerbaijan. He continued the Kurdish tribes and did not allow them even semi-autonomy.

Communists were severely dealt with. By 1925, Reza Shah had assured himself no opposition through the army.

Social and Educational Reforms – He concentrated on education because he believed that modernization meant material wealth and progressive thinking. He broke the hold of religion on education and set up a new judicial system free from religious domination. Civil courts were based on the structure of frame. He reduced the power of the clergy and he attempted to secularize Iran. To appease the clergy, Islam was reorganized as the official religion and the Jafaratites tribe was considered most important. All laws made by the majlis had to be in keeping with Islamic traditions. Primary education was made compulsory, and many schools were built. This experiment failed because of lack of teachers. The Iranian University had six faculties including Theology. The school curriculum stressed patriotism, civil mindedness, and love for the king.

Several Christian missionaries set up schools, but Reza Shah realized that they were trying to spread Christianity. He immediately had them banished from Iran. This was a tremendous setback for education.

He encouraged sports, build stadiums, and made boy scouting and girl guiding compulsory. Patriotism was constantly stressed and extra-curricular activities were introduced to keep students away from politics.

In 1928, Reza Shah banned oriental dressing and the fez cap. Western clothes, and the European hat were propagated.

Reforms for Women – According to a decree of the Majlis, women and men were equal. Women were given divorce rights and were encouraged to dress in the western style. They were encouraged to hold public offices but not to enter politics. He also banned the purdah which resulted in rioting. He used the army to crush the opposition. Women no longer wore veils.

Literature – Reza Shah revised the Persian language, doing away with Arabic words. Persian continued to be written in the Arabic script. He started the Iranian Academy of Literature.

Media – The press was expected to propagate Reza Shah’s reforms. Only four daily newspapers existed. By 1940, Government owned Radio broadcasting began.

In 1935, Reza Shah changed the name of Persia to Iran.

Industrialization – Iran had a predominantly agrarian economy and two third of the land was held by landlords. Therefore, land reforms were introduced. Irrigation projects started and modern techniques were used. Much progress was not made. Reza Shah therefore turned to industrialization. Industries were set up for sugar, spinning and weaving of cotton, canning of meant and fish products, cement industries and chemical factories.

Most were government owned and their efficiency and capacity for products differed. Cost of production was high and inspite of so many industries, Iran still imported many goods.

Reza Shah also set up management institutes.

Oil – The Anglo Persian Oil Company was started. In time the Company fixed the Royalty payments.

Criticism – Reza Shah was strict with the Iranian Bureaucracy and genuinely wanted to reform Iran. He was the only one capable of doing this. He tolerated no opposition. Thus, he became alienated from reality because he allowed only good things to be said about himself. There was no one to point out the defects in his reforms. Many of his reforms failed because people were not ready to accept them, and Reza Shah was not sensitive to social attitudes. He also collected huge personal fortunes and when the Second World War broke out, he annoyed the allies.

In 1941, the allies invaded Iran, deposed off Reza Shah and banished him to South Africa. He died there in exile. His son Muhammed Shah Pehlevi succeeded him as Shah.

Inspite of all these defects, it must be admitted that Reza Shah who almost single handedly brought a poor and backward nation like Iran aboard the modern world, was one of the greatest figures of Persian History.