In 1974, he established the Rastakhiz Party, declaring it the country’s sole legal political party. This decision represented the culmination of the monarchy’s movement toward a one-party political system. The Shah expected Rastakhiz to mobilize society, strengthen national unity, coordinate government activities, and demonstrate popular support for his modernization program.
However, the creation of a single legal party further restricted political freedom. Citizens were effectively expected to participate in an organization established and controlled by the state. Independent political activity remained prohibited, while criticism of the monarchy became increasingly difficult.
The establishment of Rastakhiz also revealed a fundamental contradiction in the Shah’s political philosophy. Although he promoted modernization, education, industrialization, and social development, he did not support the development of independent political institutions capable of representing the growing diversity of Iranian society. As a result, modernization occurred without corresponding political liberalization. This contradiction contributed to the increasing distance between the monarchy and different segments of the population [97][98].
4. Domestic Modernization and Social Reforms
One of the defining characteristics of Mohammad Reza Shah’s reign was his ambitious modernization program. He sought to transform Iran from a predominantly agricultural society into a modern industrial and technologically advanced state. His administration invested heavily in infrastructure, education, healthcare, industrial production, transportation, and scientific institutions.
