He therefore encouraged Manouchehr Eghbal and Asadollah Alam to establish two political organizations. These became the Nationalist Party, known as Melliun, and the People’s Party, known as Mardom. Although these parties formally represented different political orientations, neither possessed genuine independence from the monarchy.
The Nationalist Party generally supported the government’s policies, while the People’s Party was intended to function as a controlled opposition. Their purpose was not to challenge the Shah’s authority but rather to create the impression of political competition and parliamentary pluralism. In practice, both organizations operated within boundaries established by the royal government and lacked substantial influence outside parliament.
The weakness of these organizations became increasingly apparent through their inability to develop independent social support. Their political activities were largely limited to parliamentary debates, electoral campaigns, and public demonstrations of loyalty to the monarchy. They did not provide meaningful opportunities for citizens to influence national policymaking or challenge the government’s decisions.
Furthermore, disagreements between the two parties, particularly allegations of electoral manipulation and fraud, undermined their credibility. The Shah became dissatisfied with the performance of this controlled party system and increasingly viewed it as ineffective.
