Iranian Revolution 1978
The clergy had been cemented as an inherently political force due to a previous century fatwa to boycott a contested Iranian leader's endorsed tobacco monopoly. This Tobacco Protest granted the public conscience a definite view of the Shah as a support for foreign powers and perhaps somewhat of a contrast to a popular religious community.
Into the 20th century, the shah of the region at the time, Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar, had accumulated great debt to Britain and, notably, tsarist Russia. To attempt to remedy these debts, he signed off on an increasing amount of concessions to these powers, resulting in extremely generous Iranian exports. Iran's bazaar-centric economy began to suffer, and during this time the shah sold off "assets" rather than attempt to strengthen a weakened economy. A following constitutional revolt eventually gave an elected legislature final say over shah national financial decisions after a period of a "vast open-air school of political science" in the gardens of the British Embassy, which was given power by the shah due to his waning health - though his son was not privy to this spurt of constitutionalism. Power was further provided to appointed ministers, and later a committee of "mujtahids" to ensure laws abided by sharia. These fast changes resulted in a somewhat weak government, which was eventually subject to a 1907 entente by Britain and tsarist Russia apportioning Iran between them. A designated neutral zone provided location for the Iranian legislature, which eventually dissolved due to the issue of providing equal rights for non-Muslims. Tsarist Russia eventually sieged, among others, Tabriz, a stronghold city of Iranian constitutionalists, as a result of mounting tensions concerning Iran's employment of Morgan Shuster during an internal conflict for a national constitution. Shuster was an American serving as Iran's treasurer-general who Russia suspected would serve to replace Russian influence with American hegemony.
In the following period of chaos, General Reza Khan, a powerful military figure, couped the previous rulership and formed a new constitutional monarchy. Under his rule, Iran saw attempts to modernize. This in many instances conflicted with the heavy political influence religious groups carried, and occasionally culminated in forcible attempts to move away from what was regarded as averse to modern goals, including banning the wearing of chador - a women's clothing item which was somewhat religiously correlated, but largely a cultural norm. Other Islamic garb was similarly treated, and controversial due to its similar commonality. This modernizing effort was not universally bad, though, as nearly nothing is. Efforts were made overall to further equalize women in the workforce such as desegregating places on the basis of gender. Throughout the Shah's time in office, however, multiple ministers were sentenced to prison time on the basis of corruption. Whether these were truly the ousting of clandestine evil or a realization of power, it can not be said for sure. Certainly, however, from within the Western hegemon, one is easily moved to believe the latter. It was during Reza Shah's rule around 1935 that other countries were requested to and began referring to Persia as Iran, the name Iranians knew their country by for over a millennia.
Throughout the early 20th century, the BP company (then known as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company) maintained a monopoly on Iranian oil, just one example of Britain's use of private companies to maintain imperialist control over profitable "subjects." Iranians' quality of life suffered while Britain's economy greatly benefited from the sheer material boon this arrangement provided. That is, until 1952, when Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh (who was elected by the Shah in the wake of assassinations of Western figures of authority by nationalist actors) nationalized the Iranian oil industry, incorporating BP productive assets into Iran's national industry - a move that was long overdue in light of Iran's people suffering from impoverished conditions. Mosaddegh recognized the control over Iran that BP gave the British empire, but was not able to stop BP from removing all technicians under its control from the factories, hurting Iranian oil production - though what Iran made was Iran's alone, this time. Britain, under Churchill, appealed to the United Nations for action against Iran and imposed an embarge on Iran using its heavy naval military presence, kicking into action a series of events known as the Abadan Crisis. Furthermore, Britain sought assistance from America in punishing Iran for the economic resistance. America was under Truman at the time, who sympathized with the Iranian nationalists' resistance to Britain's imperial control achieved through BP. All the while, Britain shifted its weight onto its assets in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, a trend noteworthy for the implications a united effort for nationalist independence in subject states would have on the empire's control. Britain recognized the threat that the nationalization posed, and not just in Iran. If Mosaddeq successfully nationalized Iran's own oil, Britain's other achieved concessions may also seek to claim their resources back from the empire.
America was disconnected...until Eisenhower, that is, who was elected in November 1952. Eisenhower brought in John Dulles as State Secretary, whose brother was CIA director Allen Dulles. In a tale told many times in living memory, the CIA at this point began collaborations with Britain to create a coup to overthrow Mosaddegh, which conditions were ripe for as the British embargo created extreme internal conflict. In light of Mosaddegh seeking to postpone elections in light of realizing a plot by Britain wherein £10,000 was funneled through actors loyal to the British crown, a plot recognized by the CIA. During this time the Prime Minister sought to remove the royal control the Shah enjoyed over various aspects of Iranian government. Here, the Shah began to negotiate with the CIA concerning coup plans, having additionally been notified that refusing to comply would result in deposition. The Shah refused to allow his control to wane, and Mosaddegh resigned in protest as a direct appeal to the population. Supporters of Mosaddegh called for strikes, demonstrations, and even political assassinations of royalists in outrage, and conflict bloomed in the nation. After five days, even the military withdrew for the time, protesters having successfully worn out infantry for the time being. Seeing the writing on the wall, the Shah retracted the new Prime Minister and reinstated Mosaddegh once again.
In the following year, Mosaddegh sought to expand ownership of land to the peasants of Iran from royal ownership, attempting to undermine the communist Sudeh Party's appeal to the common workers of Iran, which had been agitating for peasant land reform. Only so much can be done, however, in the wake of an embargo by a foreign superpower - the British stranglehold continued to hurt Iran's economy. Purely unable to magic away the sheer amount of material problems Iran faced due to this, Mosaddegh was inevitably threatened by various growing antagonistic sentiments.
Into the 20th century, the shah of the region at the time, Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar, had accumulated great debt to Britain and, notably, tsarist Russia. To attempt to remedy these debts, he signed off on an increasing amount of concessions to these powers, resulting in extremely generous Iranian exports. Iran's bazaar-centric economy began to suffer, and during this time the shah sold off "assets" rather than attempt to strengthen a weakened economy. A following constitutional revolt eventually gave an elected legislature final say over shah national financial decisions after a period of a "vast open-air school of political science" in the gardens of the British Embassy, which was given power by the shah due to his waning health - though his son was not privy to this spurt of constitutionalism. Power was further provided to appointed ministers, and later a committee of "mujtahids" to ensure laws abided by sharia. These fast changes resulted in a somewhat weak government, which was eventually subject to a 1907 entente by Britain and tsarist Russia apportioning Iran between them. A designated neutral zone provided location for the Iranian legislature, which eventually dissolved due to the issue of providing equal rights for non-Muslims. Tsarist Russia eventually sieged, among others, Tabriz, a stronghold city of Iranian constitutionalists, as a result of mounting tensions concerning Iran's employment of Morgan Shuster during an internal conflict for a national constitution. Shuster was an American serving as Iran's treasurer-general who Russia suspected would serve to replace Russian influence with American hegemony.
In the following period of chaos, General Reza Khan, a powerful military figure, couped the previous rulership and formed a new constitutional monarchy. Under his rule, Iran saw attempts to modernize. This in many instances conflicted with the heavy political influence religious groups carried, and occasionally culminated in forcible attempts to move away from what was regarded as averse to modern goals, including banning the wearing of chador - a women's clothing item which was somewhat religiously correlated, but largely a cultural norm. Other Islamic garb was similarly treated, and controversial due to its similar commonality. This modernizing effort was not universally bad, though, as nearly nothing is. Efforts were made overall to further equalize women in the workforce such as desegregating places on the basis of gender. Throughout the Shah's time in office, however, multiple ministers were sentenced to prison time on the basis of corruption. Whether these were truly the ousting of clandestine evil or a realization of power, it can not be said for sure. Certainly, however, from within the Western hegemon, one is easily moved to believe the latter. It was during Reza Shah's rule around 1935 that other countries were requested to and began referring to Persia as Iran, the name Iranians knew their country by for over a millennia.
Throughout the early 20th century, the BP company (then known as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company) maintained a monopoly on Iranian oil, just one example of Britain's use of private companies to maintain imperialist control over profitable "subjects." Iranians' quality of life suffered while Britain's economy greatly benefited from the sheer material boon this arrangement provided. That is, until 1952, when Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh (who was elected by the Shah in the wake of assassinations of Western figures of authority by nationalist actors) nationalized the Iranian oil industry, incorporating BP productive assets into Iran's national industry - a move that was long overdue in light of Iran's people suffering from impoverished conditions. Mosaddegh recognized the control over Iran that BP gave the British empire, but was not able to stop BP from removing all technicians under its control from the factories, hurting Iranian oil production - though what Iran made was Iran's alone, this time. Britain, under Churchill, appealed to the United Nations for action against Iran and imposed an embarge on Iran using its heavy naval military presence, kicking into action a series of events known as the Abadan Crisis. Furthermore, Britain sought assistance from America in punishing Iran for the economic resistance. America was under Truman at the time, who sympathized with the Iranian nationalists' resistance to Britain's imperial control achieved through BP. All the while, Britain shifted its weight onto its assets in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, a trend noteworthy for the implications a united effort for nationalist independence in subject states would have on the empire's control. Britain recognized the threat that the nationalization posed, and not just in Iran. If Mosaddeq successfully nationalized Iran's own oil, Britain's other achieved concessions may also seek to claim their resources back from the empire.
America was disconnected...until Eisenhower, that is, who was elected in November 1952. Eisenhower brought in John Dulles as State Secretary, whose brother was CIA director Allen Dulles. In a tale told many times in living memory, the CIA at this point began collaborations with Britain to create a coup to overthrow Mosaddegh, which conditions were ripe for as the British embargo created extreme internal conflict. In light of Mosaddegh seeking to postpone elections in light of realizing a plot by Britain wherein £10,000 was funneled through actors loyal to the British crown, a plot recognized by the CIA. During this time the Prime Minister sought to remove the royal control the Shah enjoyed over various aspects of Iranian government. Here, the Shah began to negotiate with the CIA concerning coup plans, having additionally been notified that refusing to comply would result in deposition. The Shah refused to allow his control to wane, and Mosaddegh resigned in protest as a direct appeal to the population. Supporters of Mosaddegh called for strikes, demonstrations, and even political assassinations of royalists in outrage, and conflict bloomed in the nation. After five days, even the military withdrew for the time, protesters having successfully worn out infantry for the time being. Seeing the writing on the wall, the Shah retracted the new Prime Minister and reinstated Mosaddegh once again.
In the following year, Mosaddegh sought to expand ownership of land to the peasants of Iran from royal ownership, attempting to undermine the communist Sudeh Party's appeal to the common workers of Iran, which had been agitating for peasant land reform. Only so much can be done, however, in the wake of an embargo by a foreign superpower - the British stranglehold continued to hurt Iran's economy. Purely unable to magic away the sheer amount of material problems Iran faced due to this, Mosaddegh was inevitably threatened by various growing antagonistic sentiments.