Was Mossadegh a liberal, democratizing force?
One reads and hears so many times that Iran was on the path to democracy until a CIA coup installed the Shah in 1953. It turns out that account is quite wrong, as is detailed by Simon Sebag Montefiore: As his support in the Majlis ebbed, Mosaddegh demanded autocratic powers. Both the shah and Majlis […] The post Was Mossadegh a liberal, democratizing force? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION .
The narrative that Iran was on the precipice of democracy before a CIA-backed coup installed the Shah in 1953 is inaccurate, according to Simon Sebag Montefiore in his book, The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East. Mosaddegh's support in the Majlis dwindled, and he demanded autocratic powers. Both the Shah and the Majlis declined his request.
On July 16, 1952, Mosaddegh resigned, and the Shah appointed 'Old Fox' Qavam in his place. Five days later, on July 21, mobs forced Mosaddegh's reinstatement after he was shot.
However, Mosaddegh had succumbed to the allure of supreme power. His attempt to control the army and curb their power by eliminating officers and cutting the budget offended both supporters of the monarchy and secularists. His secular policies and prosecution of Fadayan assassins outraged the clergy. By bypassing the democratically elected parliament and seizing plenary powers, Mosaddegh alienated liberals and democrats, leading to his swift loss of control. Imprisoned and close to a nervous breakdown, he languished in his residence.
After the police chief was assassinated, Mosaddegh ordered mass arrests, triggering a vote of no confidence in the Majlis. Resorting to authoritarian measures, he called a faked plebiscite with no secret ballot, resulting in 2 million 'yes' votes and only 1,207 'no' votes. This allowed him to dismiss parliament and receive support from communists in huge demonstrations. Montefiore argues that the downfall of Mosaddegh was due to a second Iranian coup, not the initial coup attempt organized by the CIA.
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