The Beginning of Reforms in Iran: The White Revolution and Its Consequences
The inception of reforms in Iran can be traced back to the last three years of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration. During this time, Iran’s monarch, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, began discussing the necessity of land reforms, which he had been contemplating since his ascension to the throne. The idea of modernization and reform took concrete shape in 1962 with the assistance of two influential prime ministers, Ali Amini and Asadollah Alam, as well as the Minister of Agriculture, Hassan Arsanjani. Together, they initiated a series of socio-economic reforms known as the White Revolution or the “Revolution of the King and the Nation.”
This ambitious reform program originally included five main principles, but it later expanded to encompass nineteen different elements. The core objective of the White Revolution was to modernize Iran and transform its socio-economic structure, particularly by implementing land reforms aimed at dismantling the feudal system. The Shah believed that by redistributing land, he would gain the support of the peasant class, strengthening his power base while reducing the influence of large landowners and the clergy. His ultimate goal was for Iran to emerge as one of the most modern nations in the world by the end of the 20th century.