Modern Iran Since 1797 : Reform and Revolution

Modern Iran since 1797 offers a comprehensive analysis of political, social and economic developments in Iran since the end of the eighteenth century. Spanning two centuries, the book provides historical context for Iran's international relationships and its internal struggle to reconcile itself and its traditions with the modern world. The book presents an overview of this crucial period in Iran's history, its emergence from the political turmoil of the eighteenth century through to its initial encounter with the industrial powers of Europe and its attempts to navigate the turbulent waters of European imperialism. It assesses the impact of European ideas on the triumph and tragedy of the Constitutional Revolution, which established the political template for the country going forward and against which all other political developments have been measured. This new edition has been updated to incorporate new scholarship and research to make a rounded assessment of recent developments and bring the text fully up to date. A substantive new prequel has also been added, covering the long nineteenth century from 1797 through to 1921, including a fuller and more detailed treatment both of the Constitutional Revolution and the events and ideology that underpinned it. Written in a clear, engaging style and highlighting Iran as a state and society grappling with the realities of the modern age, Modern Iran since 1797 remains the perfect guide for all those studying the history of modern Iran. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Preface to the 3rd edition Glossary Chronology of modern Iran Map: Iran in the twentieth century Chapter 1: Introduction Reform and reaction The Constitutional Revolution: the pivot of modern Iranian history Social structures International integration Weapons of the weak Analysing Iranian political structures The emergence of social forces Nationalism Continuity and change Chapter 2: The legacy of the eighteenth century The Safavid inheritance Warlords and saviours Agha Mohammad Khan and the establishment of the Qajar dynasty Chapter 3: Fath Ali Shah and the challenge of Europe Iran in 1800 The Great Game begins Chapter 4: Resistance, revolt and reaction The Babi Revolt Amir Kabir The Anglo-Persian War and the Treaty of Paris 1857 Chapter 5: ‘Enlightenment’ and the Iranian awakening The politics of economic regeneration An Iranian awakening The Tobacco Revolt Chapter 6: The Constitutional Revolution and its aftermath The revolution unfolds A revolution contested War Chapter 7: Reza Khan and the establishment of the Pahlavi state The man on horseback Britain and the coup of 1921 The consolidation of power and the imposition of a new order Cultivating the myth of the saviour Domination of the Majlis and civilian reforms The ‘republican’ intermezzo Chapter 8: Reza Shah: modernisation and tradition, 1926–41 The invention of tradition The continuation of reform: nationalism and modernisation Institutionalising the dynasty: the politics of dynastic nationalism The fall An assessment Chapter 9: Political pluralism and the ascendancy of nationalism, 1941–53 The levels of political awareness The mass media The radio The limits of plurality The dominance of nationalism Fragmentation: challenges to the Pahlavi state – the Allied Occupation The tribal revolts The separatist movements in Azerbaijan and Kurdistan Contested ‘nationalisms’ The young Shah and the development of dynastic nationalism Dr Mohammad Mosaddeq and the Oil Nationalisation Crisis Towards oil nationalisation The premiership of Dr Mohammad Mosaddeq, 1951–53 Chapter 10: The consolidation of power, 1953–60 A changing society The return of the Shah The politics of consolidation The ‘Mosaddeq myth’ Ebtehaj and economic development Cultivating the military: Iran and the Cold War The Shah ascendant A fragile royal dominance Chapter 11: The ‘White Revolution’ The roots of the ‘White Revolution’ Social and economic developments Amini and the launch of a ‘white revolution’ The Shah and the ‘White Revolution’ Chapter 12: Towards the Great Civilisation The crest of the wave The international statesman Domestic tensions The ‘Emperor of Oil’ Democratic centralism: the Rastakhiz (Resurrection) Party The myth of imperial authority: the apogee of sacral kingship Towards the Great Civilisation Chapter 13: Revolution, war and ‘Islamic Republic’ The political framework Reality bites: the fall of the Shah The triumph of the revolution: the premiership of Bazargan War The social and political consequences of the war Rafsanjani and the ascendancy of the mercantile bourgeoisie The Islamic Republic defined Chapter 14: Khatami and the challenge of reform Khatami’s first administration 9/11 and its consequences Chapter 15: Ahmadinejad, populism and the politics of confrontation The Presidential election of 2009 and the establishment of the‘paranoid’ state Resetting the button Chapter 16: Conclusion: Iranians and their history Guide to further research Select bibliography Guide to further research Archival sources in Iran Select bibliography Documentary sources (Persian) Documentary sources (English) Newspapers and journals (Persian) Newspapers and journals (English) Secondary sources (Persian) Secondary sources (English) Index Modern Iran since 1797 offers a comprehensive analysis of political, social and economic developments in Iran since the beginning of the nineteenth century. Spanning two centuries, the book provides historical context for recent developments in and the complex nature of Iran's international relationships and its internal struggle to reconcile itself and its traditions with the modern world. This edition has been extended to stretch from 1797 up until the present day. Written in a clear, engaging style and highlighting Iran as a state and society grappling with the realities of the modern age, this remains the perfect guide for all those studying the history of modern Iran