Elitist Reformlar, İran’da Devrime Yetmedi

In this study, we tried to act according to historical chronology while using primary and secondary sources. The main purpose of the study is to reveal the historical origins of the wave responses to Rıza Pehlevi who made elitist reforms and how the historical block in Iran was distributed over time. Traditionally the reforms of the Pahlavi period in Iran were evaluated as the re-construction of the state. In our paper, in general, the focus is on the top down policies of the elites and this class’ efforts of turning Iran into a modern and politically independent state. Basically, traditional society members and groups from lower classes tried to oppose the high policies of Tehran regime. Within this frame, the evaluation about these groups and other groups including bazaars in provinces and gilds were not made much. The reforms of Shah Reza for changing these groups neither passively accepted nor faced a radical opposition. Instead, the new order in Iran led to multidimensional reactions in the Iranian society. Especially while the gradual stability at the beginning of 1920s was being welcomed by the public, the authoritarian modernist policy forcibly imposed by Shah Reza during the period of 1927-1929 led to reactions especially among the lower classes of the society. Shah Reza, following the consolidation of his new order, he launched a huge secularization and centralization program and while making these reforms he based his power on the Army. Yet these reforms faced a great reaction while being forcibly applied. Policies like impose of compulsory military service, dress code, secularization of education, revision of the judiciary, compulsory settlement of nomads led to the reaction of some interest groups. These reforms of Shah Reza were realized during his favorite staff namely Ali Akbar Daver, Faruk Mirza and especially Abdulhussein Teymurtash.