The role of political factors centered on the Shah in the land reform plan of the second Pahlavi period (between the late 1930s and early 1940s)

Shoormeij, Mohammad; Rezaei, Ramezan

The role of political factors centered on the Shah in the land reform plan of the second Pahlavi period (between the late 1930s and early 1940s)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

mohammad shoormeij ¹

ramezan rezaei ²

¹ Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

² Associate Professor, Department of Revolution and History of Civilization, Faculty of Theology, University of Tehran

Abstract

Land reforms were seriously planned and implemented during the second Pahlavi period. The most important reason for the implementation of land reforms in most contemporary writings is foreign factors, especially American pressure on the Iranian government. In this research, political factors centered on the Shah as the main issue in the land reform plan have been discussed. By examining various sources and books, we can conclude that factors such as the Shah, America, Amini and Arsanjani played a decisive role in the planning and implementation of Iran's land reforms in the 1340s. But the important and noteworthy point is that by removing each of the mentioned factors (except the king), probably the reforms would have been implemented sooner or later by the king. Because carrying out land reforms was politically beneficial for the Shah of Iran in every way. Because he was a reformist king and opposed to the big owners and in favor of the rural population and his government was introduced as a modern and progressive government by the powers of the East and the West.
The findings of the research show that the Shah of Iran was able to obtain short-term political fruits from land reforms. Therefore, the main factor in the implementation of reforms was the will of the king, and America has only played the supporting role with financial aid

Keywords

Key words: Pahlavi II government

land reforms

Mohammad Reza Shah

America

Subjects

Topics related to the Islamic Revolution

Avery, Peter, (2013), The Cambridge History of Iran; From Reza Shah to the Islamic Revolution, translated by Morteza Saqibfar, second edition, second volume of the seventh volume, Tehran, Jami.
Avery, Peter, (1992), The Pahlavi Dynasty and Religious Forces According to the Cambridge Narration, translated by Abbas Mokhbar, Tehran, Tarh-e-No.
Abrahamian, Yorunda, (1998), Iran Between Two Revolutions, from the Constitutional Revolution to the Islamic Revolution, translated by Kazem Firouzmand, Hassan Shams Avery and Mohsen Modir Shanechi, Tehran, Markaz Publishing House.
Arsanjani, Nooruddin, (1999), Dr. Arsanjani in the Mirror of Time, Tehran, Qatra.
Azkia, Mustafa, (1991), Introduction to Rural Sociology, Tehran, Etelat.
Azghandi, Seyyed Alireza, (2014), History of Political and Social Developments in Iran, (1957-1981), Tehran, Samat.
Ashraf, Ahmad, (2004), "From the White Revolution to the Islamic Revolution", translated by Mohammad Salar Kasraei, No. 22, Matin Scientific Research Quarterly, pp. 109-135.
Amini, Ali, (2000), The Pahlavi Era's Men of Honour, narrated by the Documents, Vol. 2, Tehran, Historical Documents Review Center, Document No. 321.
Amini, Ali Reza, (2002), Political and Social Developments in Iran during the Pahlavi Era, Tehran, Contemporary Voice, First Edition.
Emami Khoei, Mohammad Taqi and Ziaei, Narges, (2006), "Land Reforms and Its Effects on Iranian Agricultural Society", Miskawaih Magazine, Autumn, Volume 1, No. 4, pp. 59-86.
Bill, James, (1992), The Lion and the Eagle, translated by Foruzandeh, Berlian, Tehran, Fakhte.
Bill, James, (1999), Politics in Iran; Groups, Classes and Modernization, translated by Ali Morshidizad, Tehran, Akhtaran Publishing House.
Tavakoli, Yaqoub, (1998), Memoirs of Ali Amini, Tehran, Sooreh Mehr Publishing House, first edition.
Zanjani, Habibollah, (1991), Population and Urbanization in Iran, Tehran, Center for Urban Planning and Architecture Studies and Research, first edition.
Tayrani, Behrouz, (1997), Documents of Iranian Political Parties, Tehran, National Archives of Iran, Archives Research Institute.
Kianuri, Noureddin, (1992), Memoirs of Kianuri, Tehran, Dagdib Research and Publishing House, Information Publishing House.
Katouzian, Mohammad Ali (Homayun), (1993), Political Economy of Iran, translated by Mohammad Reza Nafisi and Kambiz Azizi, Tehran, Markaz Publishing House.
Lanik, Margaret, (1992), Interview with the Shah, translated by Ardeshir Roshangar, Tehran, Al-Band.
Nejati, Gholamreza, (1999), 25-Year History of Iran, Vol. 1, Tehran, Rasa.
Houshang Mahdavi, Abdolreza, (1980), History of Foreign Relations of Iran, Tehran, Amirkabir Publications.
Hoagland, Eric, (1981), “Land Reforms, Half-Desire”, Cultural and Social Quarterly, Dialogue, Summer, Issue 32, pp. 37-56.
Arsanjani, H. (1962), “Mosahebeha-ye Radiyo’i-ye Doktor Arsanjani”, Tehran, Ministry of Agriculture, pp. 233-8.
Ashraf, A, (2021), “Was the Land Reform American? A Review of Two Documents,” Iran , Volume 5, Number 4 ,Winter, 203-208.
Bill, J. (1972), “The Politics of Iran: Groups, Classes and Modernization”, Columbus, Merrill, p. 138-149.
Cottam, R. (1988), "Iran and the United States: A Cold War Case" (Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh University Press), P. 120-138.
Huntington, S. (1968), "Political Order in Changing Societies" (New Haven: Yale University Press), p. 288-299.
Kazemi, F, & Abrahamian, E. (1978), "The non-revolutionary peasantry of modern Iran", Iranian Studies XI, pp. 259-308.
Warne, W. (1956), "Mission for Peace: Point 4 in Iran", Indianapolis: Merrill, PP. 190-204.
Wilber, D. (1962), "Memorandum of Conversation: Dr. Hasan Arsanjani, Minister of Agriculture", 10 November, author's personal file.
Zonis, M. (1971), "The Political Elite of Iran", Princeton, Princeton University Press, p. 49-62.