Defining the concept of freedom in the Iranian constitutional revolution; case study: analysis of Oghyanoos newspaper

The constitutional revolution provided the ground for developing modern concepts in the context of society. The excitement caused by the revolution led to the establishment of dozens of independent newspapers and associations. This issue is critical because, before the constitutional revolution, there was no opportunity for the presence of the urban middle class in society, except for a few publications and state-affiliated associations. Consequently, individuals and groups published their opinions through newspapers and associations, resulting in various interpretations of modern concepts. In the meantime, the constitutionalists had the upper hand and over 90% of the urban media were at their disposal. On the other hand, there were a few conservative-traditionalist newspapers, and in terms of content analysis, only the Oghyanoos newspaper deserves to be examined. The paper, which was run by the spiritual thinker Abdul Rahim Elahi, opposed the interpretation of modern ideas by constitutionalists. The findings of the research show that he defined freedom within the limits of the law by using the opinions of European thinkers. He also interpreted the law based on Sharia. This tactic exposed the behavior of radical constitutionalists against the freedom stipulated in the constitution and sanctified the position of the monarchy. By examining the concept of freedom in the opinions of European thinkers, this article takes into account the issue of its simultaneity and development over time and shows its impact or the opposite in the content of the Oghyanoos newspaper.