Villagers and the Iranian Constitutionalism

On the eve of the Constitutional Revolution, Iran was an agricultural society. Half of the population lived in rural areas, and the country’s economy depended on their agricultural products. In such a society, the constitutionalist movement emerged as an urban phenomenon. Historians of the constitution usually focus on urban events. However, scattered reports indicate that Iranian villages were not silent during the tumultuous years of the revolution. This research explores the rural society of Iran alongside the Constitutional Revolution, addressing several issues: How were the grounds for rural dissatisfaction created? What demands did the villagers have? Through what means did they express their requests? Which forms of struggle did they employ? How did governmental and national institutions view land issues? What solutions did constitutionalists propose for this social problem? And how did all these factors influence the course of the revolution? It is hoped that by examining these issues, the scope of understanding about Iran’s Constitutional Revolution can be expanded.