The Effects, Allies and Enemies of Morgan Shuster's Financial Measures in the Late Qajar Period

The process of reform in the time of the second parliament (November 15, 1909 – December 24, 1911), which resulted in inviting Morgan Shuster for financial improvements in the late Qajar era, represented the controversy between tradition and modernism in Iran. Many factors were against the process of change in Iran and could lead to social crises. Actually, the implementation of fundamental reforms was very problematic, regarding the specific social model of Iran, and the resistance of the traditional forces. This research, which is based on archival documents and historical sources, seeks to answer these questions: what were the main powers against Shuster's measures, and what were their motivations? The hypothesis was that the challenge between tradition and modernism was very influential; but the research findings demonstrate that in addition to traditional domestic factors such as princes, courtiers, landlords, and ..., who generally opposed any changes, foreign forces of Russia and Britain were among the main opponents as well.