The Position and Function of Bushehr Merchants in the Movement of Southern Iran

After the victory of the Constitutional Revolution, southern Iran underwent many political changes, culminating in the World War I. The merchants of Bushehr, who had gained more economic power since the beginning of the nineteenth century and had gradually become interested in social and political activities, were opposed to Britain and an ally of the constitutional clergy, and as an influential social group, have the religious, national and economic interests. During the events of the southern movement, the merchants of Bushehr were always in conflict with these interests, and usually by ignoring the economic interests, they supported the positions of the constitutionalist clerics and acted in the national interest. As the movement continued to struggle and the growing economic losses inflicted on traders due to the insecurity of trade routes and the cessation of trade, they gradually became reluctant to continue supporting the movement and eventually withdrew. The present article tries to answer the question with the method of qualitative analysis: what effect did the economic approach of Bushehr businessmen have on their orientation to join or not to accompany the southern movement? The purpose of this study is how and why the dual positions of Bushehr businessmen and the result of the research shows that Bushehr businessmen, motivated by the establishment of order and security and enjoying its economic and political interests, converged and joined the southern movement, but after despair of achieving the goals, and the economic costs, They withdrew from the movement.