Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 29 Amir's Memorial
Having resolved the situation in Oman, Muhammad wanted to do something more for his son. But his orders were nothing more than empty words to the bureaucrats and clerics.

"What has Azerbaijan been up to lately? I've heard there have been some fierce protests?"

Said quickly told him everything he knew: "The Governor is currently promoting banks and railways, which has aroused opposition from the local citizens, but the Governor still insists on pushing them through."

Banks and railways? Muhammad found these two words unfamiliar, but fortunately, Saeed explained them to the Shah in detail.

"Can this so-called railway really get from Tehran to Tabriz in just a few days?"

“Yes, Shah,” Amir assured him, “this is a step that could change the course of events. And there’s the bank; with the bank, the current chaos in the silver coin market can be resolved.”

Seeing that both of these things were very powerful, Muhammad wanted to introduce them as soon as possible, but the Grand Vizier opposed it.

"Shah, this won't do. Who knows what the consequences will be if we rashly introduce these things that we've never even heard of before?"

And is there really anything in this world that can shorten a month's journey to just a few days? It's probably just foreigners coming to Iran to scam money.

Said was displeased by Grand Vizier's words. "Grand Vizier, watch your words. Don't label everything as fraudulent. These things might be of great use."

And all of this was driven by the Crown Prince. Are you implying that the Crown Prince is an idiot?

Mohammed's expression was serious, and Hassan, realizing the Shah was displeased, quickly knelt down to indicate that he didn't mean it that way. He did this entirely for the sake of Iran.

"Your Majesty, some things, while good, are not necessarily good for Iran itself. If they provoke opposition from our subjects, it would be disastrous..."

Hassan wanted to continue, but was interrupted by Said, "Shah, this is a letter from Amir of Azerbaijan to you."

Muhammad took the letter and opened it; it was incredibly thick, containing about twenty pages.

"Your subject Amir offers this advice to the great and invincible Shah: the present era is one in which countries like Britain and Russia jointly dominate other nations, and unfortunately, Iran is one of those being dominated. Since the Treaty of Turkmenchay, the Russians have seized northern Azerbaijan and Yerevan from us, while the British have taken Herat and Kandahar. The Ottomans to the west are also trying to extract some benefits from Iran. Persia has reached a dangerous moment."

"Since becoming the Crown Prince's tutor, I have devoted myself wholeheartedly to his work. The current situation in Azerbaijan is largely due to the Crown Prince's efforts in governance. However, governing only one region is insufficient to revitalize the entire nation. Therefore, I offer the Shah thirty-two suggestions to restore Iran's national prestige."

Amir's proposal is divided into six parts, offering reform suggestions to the Shah in six areas: politics, economy, military, diplomacy, social education, and the judiciary. "The selection of local and central officials should not be limited to the nobility but should be expanded nationwide to find suitable talent. Vacancies should be filled based on actual ability, rather than seniority."

Furthermore, official corruption is a long-standing practice, and it is imperative to crack down hard on these corrupt elements within the bureaucracy. This will not only reduce losses but also improve administrative efficiency…

First, regarding politics, Amir advocated for adjusting the methods of governance to provide a stable social environment and institutional guarantees for reform. The practice of obtaining official positions through bribery, which inevitably leads to rampant corruption and extortion, must be stopped forever. Simultaneously, he proposed establishing training institutions in the capital and local areas to cultivate the practical political skills of officials at all levels. He also advocated using high salaries to prevent official corruption and maintain the normal functioning of politics.

Secondly, regarding military and economic reforms, he advocated learning from the West to achieve the fundamental goal of reform—national prosperity and strength. Amir's proposals can be summarized in three aspects: (1) Military reform. He advocated genuinely learning from the West and training troops using Western methods. He proposed establishing military academies nationwide to cultivate modern military talent, with officers required to be graduates of these academies. Simultaneously, he proposed establishing state-managed munitions factories to produce firearms and ammunition for the modern army.

(II) Economic Reform. This mainly focused on three aspects: First, agricultural reform. Agriculture is the foundation of the Iranian economy. "Promoting agriculture" and "improving agricultural administration" meant learning modern Western agricultural techniques to improve traditional Iranian agriculture. A dedicated department was established to improve agriculture, reclaim wasteland, increase income, and improve the rural environment.

Secondly, industrial development was of paramount importance to Europe. Therefore, to achieve prosperity and strength, it was essential to pursue industrial development. Specific measures included establishing technical schools, setting up industrial training centers, and protecting patents.

Third, the formulation of economic laws and regulations. Economic development and the establishment of economic order require corresponding economic laws and regulations. Especially under the circumstances of foreign economic aggression and infiltration, the formulation of economic laws and regulations is of even greater significance in protecting national interests and safeguarding the development of the domestic economy. The formulation of mining and railway laws was to overcome the chaotic and disorderly state of mining and railway construction, and to protect the nation's mining and railway rights; the formulation of commercial law was to maintain the normal operation of the commercial economy, protect domestic merchants in Iran's trade with foreign countries, and safeguard national interests in foreign economic disputes and other negotiations.

(III) Pathways to Learning from the West. Regarding how to learn from the West, Amir proposed three methods: sending people to study abroad, employing foreigners, and translating Western books. He suggested sending nobles, clergy, wealthy merchants, and government officials abroad to conduct on-site investigations in Western countries, especially Prussia and Britain. This would be more conducive to the smooth implementation of reforms. Another effective way to learn from the West was to translate more books from various Western countries.

Next came other topics, including reforming the rule of law, establishing universities, changing customs and traditions, and pragmatic diplomacy. The petition, totaling over ten thousand words, took Muhammad two hours to read; many of the suggestions were unexpected. But since Amir was willing to submit it, it meant there was merit to it.

"Grand Vizier, you should take a look too."

Saeed passed Amir's petition to Hassan, the Grand Vizier who wanted to stabilize Iran. At first, he thought there was no problem with the political aspects, but when he saw the economic and social aspects, he immediately felt that it was not going to work.

“Shah, these will not be recognized; they are not in accordance with current laws.”

Grand Vizier remained steadfastly opposed, leaving Mohammed helpless and unable to make any progress. He could only hope that a breakthrough could be achieved at the cabinet meeting.

"Tomorrow, gather everyone in the meeting room for a discussion. After all, the more people, the better."

(End of this chapter)