Socio-Political Change and Development in Iran: Reza Sah and the Shi’i Hierocracy By Zahra Seif-Amirhosseini A Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), London School of Economics, University of London July 2002 1 UMI Number: U61BB37 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U613337 Published by ProQuest LLC 2014. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 11-VcSe- S h cf l&O Abstract The thesis offers an analysis of the Reza Sah period in terms of the balance between religion and politics and their societal and institutional power, the discussion of which is located within a historical framework. The relationship between religion and politics and their related effect on the ‘legitimacy’ of the structure of domination are considered within Weber’s tripartite typology of domination. Whilst acknowledging the overall implications of the feasibility of adopting a Weberian framework and criticisms concerning the lack of accuracy of Weber’s study of Islam, the thesis proposes that it is nevertheless possible to use a Weberian perspective in the study of Iranian Shi’ism. The changes introduced in the period are examined through an analysis of institutional changes deemed necessary for the process of modernization and secularization. An adequate understanding of this period is proposed to be critically dependent upon an understanding of the nature of the secularization process in Iran. This thesis is therefore concerned with two interconnected themes, one theoretical and the other historical. The theoretical theme, namely, the nature of the secularization process, arguably forms the core of the thesis in terms of its applicability to the period under study. It is the centrality of the secularization process which necessitates the analysis of a subsidiary argument concerning the limitations arising from Western (including Weberian) understanding of secularization, in particular with regard to Iran during the stated period. The historical theme - the analysis of the events between 1921 and 1941 - is considered for its own importance as a period of structural and institutional change and as a testing ground for the secularization thesis. 2 Table of Contents ABSTRACT__________________________________________________________________________ 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................................................. 3 Sty le and U s a g e .......................................................................................................................................................................5 T ransliteration Ta b l e .........................................................................................................................................................6 INTRODUCTION__________________________________ 7 The Historical Setting Prior to the Advent of Reza §ah to the Throne »....................................................................11 An Assessment of the Basic Characteristics of the PahlavT Era.............................................................................................16 An Overview of the Various Approaches to the Reza Sah Period......................................................................................... 21 Setting Out Our Argument and the Thesis Outline......................................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER ONE: SETTING OUT THE THEORETICAL ARGUMENT: THE NATURE OF THE SECULARIZATION PROCESS................................................................................................................32 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................................................33 T he L im itations A risin g From W estern (including W eberian ) U nderstanding o f Secularization 35 An A nalysis o f th e Secularization D ebate in Rela tio n to Isl a m ................................................................. 45 T he Applicability of th e Secularization T hesis t o the ReZA Sa h P e r io d .................................................. 51 CHAPTER TWO: THE STRUCTURE OF DOMINATION AND LEGITIMACY WITHIN THE CULTURAL LOGIC OF SHI’ISM: THE BALANCE BETWEEN RELIGION AND POLITICS... 66 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................................................67 T he O rigins O f Sh i ’ism ; T he D ispute O ver Su ccessio n ......................................................................................... 71 Po st -O ccultation Sh i ’ism a n d its C onsequences fo r th e ‘Ola m a ................................................................. 88 Safavid Caesaropapism , and th e Consolidation o f a H ie r o c r a c y ...........................:................................. 102 T he E m ergence o f a n In depend ent Sh i ’i H iero cra cy ..........................................................................................109 CHAPTER THREE: EDUCATIONAL REFORM AND THE DEMISE OF ‘OLAMA POWER... 127 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................................128 The R ole of Intellectuals in Prom o tin g E ducational Re f o r m ................................................................... 131 E a rly E xperim ents w ith M odern E d u c a t io n .........................................................................................................136 The First Institute of Higher Education ...................................................................................................................................138 E ducation Reform s In trodu ced by ReZA Sa h a n d its C onsequences fo r th e ‘O lam A........................ 143 CHAPTER FOUR: JUDICIAL REFORM AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR THE ‘OLAMA..... 163 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................... 164 E a rly Judicial Reform and ‘O lam a Opposition Prio r to th e C onstitutional Rev o l u t io n 170 Ea rly Judicial Reform and ‘O lam a O pposition D uring th e Constitutional Per io d ......................... 176 Judicial Reform D uring the Reig n of ReZA Sah a n d its C onsequence fo r th e ‘O lam A ......................188 CHAPTER FIVE: THE MILITARY HISTORY OF THE PAHLAVl DYNASTY: MILITARY- LED MODERNIZATION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR THE ‘OLAMA.................................207 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ 208 T he A rm y during th e Qajar Per io d ............................................................................................................................ 214 T he C onstruction of the Arm y a n d the Rise of ReZA £A n to Po w er .........................................................218 The Cossack Brigade ................................................................................................................................................................. 218 The Government Gendarmerie................................................................................................................................................. 221 The Co up d ’E tat of 1921 a n d the C rea tio n of th e Pahlavi D y n a sty .........................................................223 T he C onstruction of a N ew N ational A rmy a n d the E stablishment o f M ilitary Suprem acy 1921- 1 9 2 6 ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 227 The Socio-Historic Roots of ‘Militarism’...............................................................................................................................227 The Implementation of U niversal M ilitary Conscription ; th e Rise of Popular Opposition and Clerical Lead ership .......................................................................................................................................................... 239 Tribal Settlem en t and th e E stablishment of the A uth ority of the C entral Go v ern m en t 247 3 CHAPTER SIX: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HOWZEH ‘ELMlYEH QOM: CONTINUATION OF THE HIEROCRATIC CHALLENGE OR ITS PACIFICATION?...............................................258 Introduction ........................................................ 259 W hat D o th e ‘O lam A Say A bout Them selves ? ......................................................................................................264 ftojjatol-Islam Mohammad RazT..............................................................................................................................................264