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Imagining Iran: Contending Political Discourses in Modern Iran

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Imagining Iran: Contending Political Discourses in Modern Iran IMAGINING IRAN: CONTENDING POLITICAL DISCOURSES IN MODERN IRAN By MAJID SHARIFI A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2008 1 © Majid Sharifi 2 “To Sheki, Annahitta, and Ava with Love” 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am very grateful and deeply indebted to many people whose assistance made this project possible. First and foremost, I thank my wife, Sheki, whose patience and support were indispensable. I also thank my two daughters, Annahitta and Ava, for the sacrifices each made on my behalf. Two years of research have gone into this dissertation, which would not have been possible without the indispensable influence, guidance, direction, and inspiration of the people in the Department of Political Science at the University of Florida. I must thank Professor Goran Hyden, who influenced my decision in starting the Ph.D. program in 2003. Without Professor Hyden, I probably would have stayed in Miami. I am most indebted to Professor Ido Oren, who stimulated my initial interest in the politics of identity, interpretative epistemology, and the significance of history. During the past two years, Dr. Oren has spent numerous hours listening, reading, and constructively criticizing my work. Without Professor Oren, my approach would have been less bold and more conventional. Professor Oren taught me innovative ways of looking at history, politics, and identities. Most significantly, I am grateful to Professor Leann Brown who has been the guidepost for directing this research. Whenever I was in need of guidance or inspiration, her office was my first and only destination. Professor Brown has a keen way of explaining the most complex issues in the shortest and fastest way imaginable. Without her help and suggestions, I could not have finished this work. I also thank Professor Badredine Arfi, who opened up a new window of understanding into a world that would not have otherwise existed. He introduced me to a body of literature that changed the direction of my research in fundamental ways. 4 Finally, since I entered the Ph.D. program in 2003, Suzanne Lawless-Yanchisin has helped me ways that are too numerous to mention. I must simply say thank you. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................................4 ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................9 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................11 Literature.................................................................................................................................15 Interpretative Approach...................................................................................................24 Challenges and Issues......................................................................................................39 The Plan of the Dissertation and Preview of My Findings.....................................................47 2 THE EMERGENCE OF THE IRANIAN NATION-STATE ................................................57 Introduction.............................................................................................................................57 The Political Discourse of Monarchic Absolutism (Saltanat-e-Motlaq-eh) ...................58 The Tobacco Uprising .....................................................................................................64 Collapse of the Discourse of Monarchic Absolutism......................................................68 The Shifts in the Discourse of Shi’ism............................................................................72 The 1906 Constitutional Movement................................................................................74 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................80 3 THE DISCOURSE OF MODERN ABSOLUTISM (1922-1941) .........................................81 Introduction.............................................................................................................................81 Establishment of a Modern Absolutist State ..........................................................................83 Militarizing and Bureaucratizing the State......................................................................85 Dominating the Polity......................................................................................................89 Commanding the Economy .............................................................................................90 Development and Modern Absolutism...................................................................................91 Understanding Economic Development..........................................................................92 Understanding Political Development.............................................................................95 Understanding Social Development................................................................................97 Imagining the Nation ............................................................................................................102 Romanticizing History...................................................................................................103 Official Language..........................................................................................................104 An Official National Race.............................................................................................110 Relations with Other States: Identities, Alliances, and Enemies..........................................112 Relations with Germany: Acquiescent Alliance............................................................113 Relations with Britain: Preservative Alliance ...............................................................115 Relations with the Soviet Union: Defensive Confrontation..........................................120 Relations with the United States: Acquiescent Alliance ...............................................121 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................124 6 4 THE FALL OF REZA SHAH AND THE SHARING OF THE STATE (1941-1951)........126 Introduction...........................................................................................................................126 Events (1941-1951) ..............................................................................................................126 The Fall of Reza Shah and the Sharing of the State ......................................................126 The Building of a New State .........................................................................................129 Economic Development .........................................................................................129 Political Development ............................................................................................134 Imagination of the Nation ......................................................................................138 Foreign Relations..................................................................................................................144 The Foreign in Foreign Policy.......................................................................................144 Foreign Policy ...............................................................................................................147 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................152 5 DEMOCRATIC NATIONALISM (1951-53) ......................................................................155 Introduction...........................................................................................................................155 Events ...................................................................................................................................155 Political Identity of Democratic Nationalism (1951-1953)..................................................161 Imagining the Nation ............................................................................................................163 Motivating, Unifying, and Mobilizing the People.........................................................163 Imagining People as the Source of Law........................................................................166 Discourse of Developing the State .......................................................................................168 Freedom, Independence.................................................................................................168 Political Development ...................................................................................................168 Economic Development ................................................................................................171 Foreign Relations..................................................................................................................174 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................180
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