Gilan nobles petitions to the National Assembly in the early years of Reza Shah Pahlavi reign (1927-1930)

This paper reports petitions silkworm farmers of Gilan sent to the National Assembly (The Parliament) between the years 1927- 1930 addressing difficulties they faced and asking for help.

Data for this study was obtained from archival documents held at the Islamic Consultative Assembly and other archival centers. Findings and

Political developments following the 1906 Constitutional Revolution and the policy of modernization increased the number of demands people forwarded to the central government. Silkworm farmers’ petitions sent from the province of Gilan to the Parliament complaining about the cruelty and injustice committed by landlords and tribal chiefs, accusing them of delivering rotten silkworm eggs to farmers and increasing tax tariffs. The petitions inform the parliament members of harsh economic difficulties that had pushed the farmers to the verge of extreme poverty. Farmers asked for establishing an agriculture school to educate future generations.