The Constitutional Revolution was the first sign of an archaic social, economic, and political order that had come to be detested by most of the Iranian population. According to Ervand Abrahamian, the roots of the revolution go back to the 19th century with the western gradual penetration of the Persian society.[1] Abrahamian states that this penetration damaged the already tensed `social contract` between the Qajar ruling court and the Persian society. According to Abrahamian, this disturbance occurred because of two factors. First, the Persian society became more politically aware of the situation Persia was facing at the time. The population could come together to identify a common threat that according to them was behind every national crisis, the foreign powers which came to influence and even control the Persian politics and the monarchy itself. Secondly, the Persian society became more socially emancipated once the frequent contact with the West brought new ideas within the society. These Enlightened ideas created the environment for incorporating demands for radical change, progress and transformation, but also new social and political movements such as nationalism, liberalism and socialism.[2] Moreover, the precarious economic situation facing the Iranian government in 1905 demanded more foreign economic assistance and therefore influence and interference by the foreign powers, something that the Iranian population was already tired of.[3] The people affected by both economic paralysis and decisions taken more in the interest of foreign creditors rather than for the ordinary Iranians, demanded a House of Justice and a written constitution drafted by an elected National Assembly (Majles). The resulting constitution decreased the powers and authority of the Shah in what Mohammad Mosaddegh was to declare years later, the Shah should ``reign and not rule``.[4] [5]

The context in which the Revolution of 1978-1979 took place remains for debate. On the one hand, there is the interpretation that the 1979 Revolution had political and economic causes. This aspect is also strengthened by Ervand Abrahamian who states that the failure of the Pahlavi regime to answer to the social and political changes occurred in the society damaged the `social contract` between the ruling class and the population.[6] According to this approach, the 1979 Revolution did not occur due to a sudden and dramatic Islamic resurgence, but largely due to the socio-economic conditions existing in Iranian society since the 1970s. Therefore, according to John Foran, ``the Islamic resurgence was not the cause of the February Revolution, it was its effect``.[7] This approach which states that the 1978-1979 Revolution was not an Islamic Revolution but a populist, anti-imperialist social revolution oriented more against the Pahlavi regime, rather than the establishment of an Islamic Republic was strengthened by the one-year long political and ideological struggles that preceded the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979 itself.[8] The second approach prioritizes the Islamic nature of the revolution and the ideological causes that conclude that religion is at the roots of the revolution. According to this, the Shah was removed because he did not respect Islamic traditions and less because of his alienation of social classes within the Iranian population and the precarious economic situation. This was highlighted by the founding father of the Islamic Republic himself, Ruhollah Khomeini: ``The people who were killed fought and died for Islam``.[9]

Analysing the context in which both revolutions occurred, we can identify some similarities between them. Firstly, the Ulama played an important role in both situations, denouncing both the Qajar regime when the mojtaheds threatened to go on strike in 1905, and the Pahlavi regime since 1963 when the Ulama filled the void of opposing the Shah left by the receding significance of secular parties and the National Front.[10] [11] Secondly, both revolutions occurred at a time of deep economic disturbance that have damaged the social contract between the Shah and the population.[12] [13] Thirdly, there is the same identification of a common threat in the presence of foreign powers interfering in Iranian internal affairs. This was identified during the Constitutional Revolution and oriented towards the Russian and the British, while in the 1970s, it was the United States who took over all the blame for the national crisis facing Iran.[14] [15] Fourthly, both revolutions share the pattern of urban, multi-class populist alliances formed on the vital link between mosque and bazaar.[16] [17]

In conclusion, the Constitutional Revolution aimed to democratize an archaic social system and replace the old order with a new social contract between the Shah and the people, with rights guaranteed by a national constitution drafted by a National Assembly acting as the sole representative of all people. The Constitutional Revolution was about Mosaddegh later stated transfer of power from the royal court to the Majles.[18] But no matter how radical the Iranian people wanted the changes to be, everything would have stopped at the idea of ​​replacing the monarchy with a republic. As for the 1978-1979 Revolution, the common grievances of the "broad coalition" were to replace the Pahlavi regime with a Republic (without knowing the nature of the Republic from the beginning).[19] If there is a similarity between the socio-economic and the ideological approach in describing the context in which the 1978-1979 Revolution took place, it is that the Shah must be replaced either because he was an American puppet disrespectful of Islamic principles, or because he was a Washington-controlled puppet unable to manage Iran's precarious economic situation.[20] Moreover, the Constitutional Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment principles and the outcome was therefore an Enlightened new social order with abolished classes, rights for religious minorities, freedom of speech and equality before law.[21] In this environment the Ulama was only a shareholder within the new order. The outcome of the February Revolution was to be an Islamic one which, according to its founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, ``the rule of Islam will be the rule of law and only Islamic jurists should be in charge of the government``, making the Ulama no more only a coalition partner, but the only one that can ``prevent the onslaught of colonialism``.[22]

[1] Ervand Abrahamian, A History Of Modern Iran, Cambridge University Press, 2018, p. 37.

[2] Ibidem, p. 36.

[3] Ibidem, pp. 39-46.

[4] Ibidem, pp. 39-49.

[5] Ali M. Ansari, ``Confronting Iran – The Failure of American Foreign Policy and the roots of mistrust``, Hurst & Company, London, p. 29.

[6] John Foran, ``The Making of the Iranian Revolution and After, 1977-1991``, pp. 361-362.

[7] Ibidem.

[8] Ibidem.

[9] John Foran, ``The Making of the Iranian Revolution and After, 1977-1991``, p. 361.

[10] Ervand Abrahamian, A History Of Modern Iran, Cambridge University Press, 2018, p. 44.

[11] John Foran, ``The Making of the Iranian Revolution and After, 1977-1991``, p. 365.

[12] Ervand Abrahamian, A History Of Modern Iran, Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 39-46.

[13] John Foran, ``The Making of the Iranian Revolution and After, 1977-1991``, p. 360.

[14] Ervand Abrahamian, A History Of Modern Iran, Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 36-39.

[15] John Foran, ``The Making of the Iranian Revolution and After, 1977-1991``, pp. 364-397.

[16] Ervand Abrahamian, A History Of Modern Iran, Cambridge University Press, 2018, p. 36.

[17] John Foran, ``The Making of the Iranian Revolution and After, 1977-1991``, pp. 362-363.

[18] Ervand Abrahamian, A History Of Modern Iran, Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 46-49.

[19] John Foran, ``The Making of the Iranian Revolution and After, 1977-1991``, pp. 364-397.

[20] Ibidem, pp. 361-362.

[21] Ervand Abrahamian, A History Of Modern Iran, Cambridge University Press, 2018, pp. 36-55.

[22] John Foran, ``The Making of the Iranian Revolution and After, 1977-1991``, p. 368.

Bibliography:

Abrahamian, Ervand, A History Of Modern Iran, Cambridge University Press, 2018.

Ansari, M. Ali, ``Confronting Iran – The Failure of American Foreign Policy and the roots of mistrust``, Hurst & Company, London.

Foran, John, ``The Making of the Iranian Revolution and After, 1977-1991``.