This is a very thorough history of Iranian domestic politics in the 20th century, from the first democratic awakening in 1906, the old monarchy and the corrupt Pahlavi dictatorship, to the islamic revolution and modern times. It might be a surprise to most western readers how persistently the hope for a democratic constitution has kept resurfacing in Iran amidst these upheavals. This is the primary thread which the author tracks throughout the book. The various constellations oppoing democracy have hitherto prevailed, but blearly the people of Iran have never been all of one mind. The book can also be read in a more general light as a case study in the difficulties of popular struggle against different forms of dictatorial rule.

The book is quite long at 450 pages and I think it could well have been shortened by a third. The presentation is not chronological and the author sometimes returns to topics already covered earlier. This applies particularly to his account of Mohammed Pahlavi's dictatorship, which he castigates on several occasions. The chapters on the islamic era are more subdued and the book has curiously little to say about ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The author may have good and unstated reasons for treading lightly on that subject. Another minor complaint is that the prologue and epilogue are stuffed thick with academic jargon and fail to add anything meaningful to the actual narrative.

However, this is still a book worth reading. Not only does it explain in some detail how Iran came to be the country it is today, it also chronicles a long popular (arising from the populace, that is) stuggle whose history certainly deserves to be disseminated. The colonial legacy and the deliberate harms perpetrated by US and British diplomacy on the incipient democratic movement also carry broader implications for today's world. The author does not offer much optimistic hope for a democratic future in Iran. In light of everything that happened in the last century, his caution is probably justified.

A People's History of Iran

It might sound like an oxymoron for many North Americans, the idea of "democracy" and "Iran" in the same sentence. However, in fact, Iran has had a long history of democracy since the constitutional revolution of 1906. However, war and foreign intervention left Iran's fledgling democracy stillborn.

"The Quest for Democracy" is a very detailed in-depth look at the social, economic and religious underpinnings of a vibrant if at times volatile political culture. Professor Fakhreddin Azimi weaves a complex narrative based on original Iranian archival sources.

At the heart of the story is one of dialectical extremes. From democracy to autocracy, pluralism to authoritarianism, traditional to modern, secular to religious. There is a constant push-pull struggle for political legitimacy. The instability caused major ripple effects throughout the entire region and continues to do so today.

The ambitious modernization schemes by the Shah that attempted to improve the human condition but often came with unintended socio-economic consequences. Such as rise to various Marxist student activists who were influential in the 1979 Revolution. Like so many of these authoritarian high-modernist schemes, none of the interests of the real people were consulted and so the result often increased social stratification and its associated problems.

Americans would be wise to read about and learn from the CIA-led intervention to overthrow the democratically elected Mosaddeq who chose to nationalize Iranian's oil reserves and thus end the Anglo-American monopoly. The ultimate form of blowback came in the form of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the American Embassy hostage crisis which ended Carter's presidency and saw the rise of a global Islamist movement.

The role of women in Iranian society and their struggle for freedom is also extensively explored. Azimi extends the discussion far beyond the traditional arguments over wearing of the hijab to include the broader social issues such as equal education, participation in civil society, and equal employment opportunities. Of course, Shirin Ebadi has done much to shine the light of global public opinion this issue of women's rights in Iran which is lightly touched upon in the book.

A true understanding of Iran would not be complete unless one traces its roots back to the early constitutionalism of the early twentieth century. Azimi does an admirable job pulling off all the major themes of the twentieth century Iranian political discourse. A definite recommended read. ( )

Description of one hundred years of constitutional history of Iran.