Search -
Roots of Revolution : An Interpretive History of Modern Iran
Roots of Revolution An Interpretive History of Modern Iran Author:Nikki R. Keddie, Yann Richard Although a number of recent publications deal with Iran, only this one presents in detail the modern history of this important country and relates it to the recent revolution. — The author shows that mass uprisings in Iran for the past century have been characterized by a "religious-radical" alliance, in which bazaar merchants, artisans... more », and secular intellectuals have united with religious leaders. In 1891, the first successful revolt was against a monopoly tobacco concession granted to a British subject. Subsequently, the same groups reunited in the constitutional revolution of 1905-11 in order to force a parliamentary regime on the shahs. During the Pahlavi period (1921-79) a program of Westernization was promoted, but new opposition arose against autocratic rule, rising disparities in income, and subservience to Western cultural and economic domination. Up-to-date through mid-1981, Roots of Revolution includes a historical perspective on the hostage crisis and subsequent release.« less