Origin and development of political parties in Persia, 1906-1911

Abstract

This thesis is a discussion of the political parties which originated and developed in the First and Second Majles between 1906-1911. It begins with an analysis of the secret societies of the pre-Revolutionary era and looks at the Anjoman-e Makhfi and Melli and the latter's offshoot the Komiteh-ye Engelab, which was connected with the Ejtema'iyün 'Amiyün or Social Democrat party, organized in turn under the aegis of its Russian counterpart. An attempt is made to explain why the Constitutional laws and the six social classes represented in the Majles did- no. t offer a sound basis for party development. The Majles divided into Äzädikhähän and Moderate groups, with the former connected to the Socialists, and the latter to the more conservative political and religious leaders. The relationship of the Majles and the Shah, to whom the Majles in general and the extremists in particular were obnoxious, is examined as well as the development of the various kinds of Anjomans, particularly the extremist ones which in conjunction with the extremists in the Majles helped to create a total impassein the Majles's relationship with the Shah. Eventually this led to the overthrow of the Majles in June 1908.

The second part of the thesis 1s devoted to the Second Majles and traces the emergence and development of new political parties after the interval of the Estebdäd-e Saghir. A detailed exposition of the programme of these four parties is given; chief amongst these were the Democrats, descended from the Äzädikhähän, and the E'tedäliyün who owed much to the earlier Moderates. None had a majority so the governments were often impotent. In an attempt to remedy this, the Regent Näser al-Molk -encouraged the formation of a coalition which excluded the Democrats. The coalition with a majority backed the Government which became stronger than before. The main problem which confronted successive Cabinets however, were finance and security, and to solve these an American, Morgan Shuster, was employed as Treasurer General. He was supported by the Democrats against the Government and the Great Powers but this brought about a final confrontation with Russia, culminating in the closure of the Majles and the dispersal of the parties.

Throughout those distinct phases of the First and Second Majles, an attempt has been made to trace the gradual emergence of the concept of 'party' in political life with other concepts such as democracy or elections and the Majles. The history of both these Parliaments illustrates the many vicissitudes through which they had to pass before these., principles were assimilated with the body politic. The credit for this lies more with the Democrats who in the political programme they advocated and the party organization they initiated were the forerunners followed by their closest rivals the Moderates. The Government who regarded the activities of the parties as inconvenient if not troublesome, in collaboration with the foreign powers were able to dissolve the Majles for almost three years; but at its reconvening after new elections it was clear how the Democrat party especially had retained its earlier coherence and organization despite the exile of its leaders and attempts to suppress it.