Research and Development in Public Law

Research and Development in Public Law

The actions of the chancellors of the pre-constitutional era in breaking the authority of the absolute monarchy and its impact on the constitutional movement

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Associate Professor, Department of Public and International Law, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran
2 M.A in Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The Constitutional Revolution is widely regarded as one of the most significant political and social upheavals in Iran during the past two centuries. Although this event occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century, its roots can be traced back roughly one century earlier. It emerged from a combination of theoretical ideas and practical initiatives, among which the role of the pre-constitutional chancellors as influential political actors was particularly important. Using a descriptive–analytical approach, this study examines the actions of these chancellors aimed at limiting and regulating the absolute authority of the monarchy.It also investigates how these efforts affected the demands of the constitutionalists and shaped the constitutional process,including both the adoption of the constitution and its subsequent amendments. The main purpose of this research is to address the question of how the initiatives of the chancellors influenced the absolute Qajar monarchy in the first place, and how, in turn, these initiatives contributed to the constitutional movement. It appears that the chancellors, through their reformist policies and administrative/legal measures, took meaningful steps toward fundamental changes in Iran’s political and legal system. Despite facing numerous challenges and constraints, their actions gradually prepared the ground for the constitutionalists’ demands and ultimately contributed to the success of the Constitutional Revolution.


Keywords
Subjects