Document Type : Research Article:Social history and research on parliament in Iran (Guest editor: Dr. Morteza Nouraei)

Authors

• Mohammad Afghari ¹
• Morteza Nouraei ²

¹ Post Doctoral Researcher at University of Isfahan Lecturer at Payam Noor University of Isfahan

² Professor of History, University of Isfahan, Isfahan

Abstract

After the occupation of Iran in August 1941 A.D by the Allies, the landowner class, found opportunity to rebuild its social position and gain more share in political relations. The fourteenth term of the parliamentary election was the most obvious appearance of this phenomenon. Following the resign of Reza Shah in favor of the crown prince, the absence of centralized dominant power, prepared the space for the re-emergence of scattered landowners and interfering in the parliamentary elections.

This study has a descriptive-analytical approach and used mixed qualitative and quantitative methods. The paramount aim is to reveal how the elections of the 14th parliament fell into the hands of the lords and new characters from the local landowner class became member of parliament. The article used statistical analysis of the distribution of tariffs and votes which was extracted from Shahreza constituency election's unpublished documents kept in the National Parliament archives. The main question of this research is how the Shahreza candidate got into the National Assembly with a lower voter turnout than the Lenjan candidate. The findings show that major local landowners, to victory of their preferred candidates, not only violated the election rules but also effectively deprived the majority of voters in Lenjan region of their right to participate in the election.

Keywords

• Landowner Class
• National Consultative Assembly Election
• Fourteenth Term of General Election
• Shahreza
• Lenjan County

Main Subjects

• Social history and research on parliament in Iran