Who Instigated the White Revolution of the Shah and the People in Iran, 1963?
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Agent or Client: Who Instigated the White Revolution of the Shah and the People in Iran, 1963? A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities 2015 Michael J. Willcocks School of Arts, Languages and Cultures ! 2! Contents Photographs & Cartoons 5 ! Abstract 6 ! Declaration 7 ! Copyright Statement 8 ! Acknowledgements 9 Introduction 10 Literature Review: US-Iranian Relations and 10 Reform in Iran 1961-63 ! Approach 26 Contribution to Knowledge 28 ! Research Questions 28 ! Hypothesis 28 ! Methodology & Sources 29 ! Thesis Structure 31 ! Transliteration 32 ! ! Chapter 1: Iran! and the United States 1945-61 33 ! 1.1 US-Iranian Relations 1946-61 33 1.2 Iranian Situation 1953-61 39 Chapter 2: ʻAlī Amīnī: The Last Chance? 47 2.1 The Appointment of ʻAlī Amīnī 47 2.1.1 The Man 48 2.1.2 The Controversy 50 2.1.3 Events 52 2.1.4 Explanation 59 2.2 Amīnī’s Plan and Team 66 2.2.1 Amīnī’s Plan 66 2.2.2 Amīnī’s Cabinet 67 2.2.2.1 Ḥasan Arsanjānī 70 2.2.2.2 Nūr al-Dīn Alamūtī 72 2.2.2.3 Muḥammad Dirakhshish 73 2.2.3 A Divided Government 75 2.3 The White House Reacts 77 2.3.1 Economic Assistance 78 ! ! 3! 2.3.1.1 Transition to the Decade of Development 80 2.3.1.2 Reacting to the Crisis in Iran 84 2.3.2 The Iran Task Force 87 2.3.2.1 Policy Objectives 89 2.3.2.2 US Support for Amīnī 93 2.4 Amīnī’s Government: Generating Momentum 97 2.4.1 Anti-Corruption 98 2.4.2 Managing The Economy 100 2.4.3 Third Plan Preparations 101 2.4.4 Land Reform 102 ! Chapter 3: Controlling! the Future 106 ! Back to the Front: The Shah Regains his 3.1 107 Confidence 3.2 The Shah’s Early Reform Efforts 111 3.2.1 Land Reform 112 3.2.2 Profit-Sharing 115 3.2.3 Tax Reform 117 3.2.4 Civil Service and Administration 119 3.2.5 Education 120 3.2.6 Devolution of Power 122 3.2.7 Anti-Corruption 123 3.3 The Shah’s Reform Farmān 125 3.4 US Pressure to Retain Amīnī 129 ! Chapter 4: The! Extent of US Influence 137 ! 4.1 Agent-Client? Wag the Dog 138 4.2 US Divisions and their Impact 144 4.3 US Recommendations and Influence 151 4.3.1 Land Reform 152 4.3.2 The Third Development Plan 156 4.3.2.1 US Intentions and Limitations 157 4.3.2.2 Present Conditions and Capabilities 161 4.3.3 Political Reform 166 ! Chapter 5: Completing! the Transition 171 ! 5.1 The Shah’s State Visit to Washington D.C. 172 5.2 Amīnī’s Resignation 178 5.2.1 The Shah’s Support for Amīnī 179 5.2.2 Amīnī’s Decision to Resign 184 ! ! 4! Chapter 6: A White Revolution 190 6.1 The 6-Point Programme 191 6.1.1 Land Reform (Additional Articles) 191 6.1.2 Sale of Shares in State-Owned Factories 194 6.1.3 Literacy Corps 195 6.1.4 Nationalisation of Forests and Pasturelands 199 6.1.5 Profit Sharing for Workers in Industry 200 6.1.6 Election Law (Female Suffrage) 202 6.2 Framework of the White Revolution 207 6.2.1 Concept 207 6.2.2 Referendum 217 Epilogue! : Future Echoes 223 ! Conclusion 229 Bibliography 234 Appendix A 249 Appendix B 252 Appendix C 253 Appendix D 254 Appendix E 256 Appendix F 259 Appendix G 262 Appendix H 263 Appendix I 266 Appendix J 268 Appendix K 269 Appendix L 272 Word Count: 87,918 ! ! 5! Photographs & Cartoons ʻAlī Amīnī (The Last Chance) 49 Dirakhshish, Alamūtī and Arsanjānī 69 Shah’s speech on 28 Murdād 1340 109 ʻAlī Amīnī and US aid 130 Shah, Kennedy and McNamara 175 ʻAlī Amīnī defending his economic record 178 Asad Allāh ʻAlam 184 ʻAlī Amīnī and Government debt 185 Literacy Corpsman 198 Women outside tomb of Riżā Shāh 205 Shah opening Economic Congress 206 Shah announcing Referendum at Muḥammad Riżā Shāh Hall 220 Government Ministers voting in 6 Bahman Referendum 221 ! ! 6! Abstract The White Revolution was a set of six reform measures put to the Iranian people via referendum on 6 Bahman 1341 (26 January 1963), based on a plan for social justice linked with economic development, encased in the concept of a bloodless revolution from the top. This did not happen unexpectedly; it was the culmination of events spanning several years, which accelerated during the John F. Kennedy Presidency. Various plans and reforms paved the way for the White Revolution and certain events as well as political and economic developments encouraged reform. There were similarities between plans and some reforms influenced others, or were shaped to suit different agendas. All played a part in instigating the White Revolution. This included Prime Minister ʻAlī Amīnī’s 15-point plan, the Shah’s Royal Farmān, the Third Development Plan, and the six-points of the White Revolution itself. The question this thesis seeks to answer is to what extent the Kennedy administration was responsible for instigating the White Revolution by influencing the various steps that paved the way for the 6 Bahman referendum? The United States had at its disposal various means by which it might apply pressure and influence development. This included, economic aid, military assistance, numerous advisers, agencies on the ground, plus support for the Shah and other Iranians. Given the Kennedy administration’s association with modernisation and development, the existing historiography has portrayed this period in US-Iranian relations as one of increased pressure on the Shah to reform with the White Revolution being the result of such pressure. This thesis makes an original contribution to knowledge by challenging this portrayal by providing the first detailed, analysis of the period 1961-63, utilising a vast array of newly released documents. This is not the first study to conclude agency on the part of Iran for the White Revolution, but is the first to do so though a detailed, balanced approach, which doesn’t ignore the significance of the US-Iranian relationship. Thus, this thesis is at the forefront of revisionist accounts of US-Iranian relations during the Cold War critiquing the portrayal of the Shah and others as mere tools of the US and reaching the conclusion that contrary to widely held beliefs it was Iranians rather than Americans who instigated the White Revolution by initiating and directing reform. ! ! 7! Declaration No portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning ! ! 8! Copyright Statement 1. The author of this thesis (including any appendices and/or schedules to this thesis) owns certain copyright or related rights in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administrative purposes. 2. Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has from time to time. This page must form part of any such copies made. 3. The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trade marks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the thesis, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this thesis, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior written permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions. 4. Further information on the conditions under which disclosure, publication and commercialisation of this thesis, the Copyright and any Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions described in it may take place is available in the University IP Policy (see http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=487), in any relevant Thesis restriction declarations deposited in the University Library, The University Library’s regulations (see http://www.manchester.ac.uk/library/aboutus/regulations) and in The University’s policy on Presentation of Theses. ! ! 9! Acknowledg! ements Acknowledgements! There are! several people I would like to express gratitude to for assisting my research and allowThere!ing me are! to many! complete people! my I! PhD would!. Firsty like!, to! my express! PhD supervisor gratitude! to!Dr for! Oliver assisting! Bast, my! who approachedresearch! me and! after allowing! completing me! to! complete!my Masters my! PhD!degree thesis.! at First!the University of! all,! my! of PhD! Manchestersupervisor! to ask whether Dr! Oliver! I would Bast,! who!consider approached! doing a mePhD,! after! and completing!who encouraged my! Masters! me throughoutdegree!at!the!Un the process. Iiversity!of!Manchester!to!ask!whether!I!would!consider!doing!a! would also like to express my appreciation to my second PhD SupervisorPhD! and! Dr has! Moshe encouraged! Behar and me! throughout.!Advisor Prof I! would!Matthew like! Jefferies to! also! for show! their my! constructiveappreciation! advice during to! my! panel second! meetings Supervisor! and forDr! providi Moshe!ng Beharreferences! and! forAdvisor,! funding Prof! applications.Matthew! Thank Jefferies!s also to for! Dr their! Shahram constructive! Kholdi advice!who tought during! me p anel!during meetings! my Masters and! for! degree, inspiredproviding! mereferences! to undertake for! a funding!PhD, and applications with whom.! A! I special!worked thank!alongside you! teaching also! to! Dr! classes atShahram!Kholdi the University! who!tought!me!during!my!Mastersof Manchester.