Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 330

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have gained 400 members in the past few years. This is a victory for the Liberal Party and a victory for the people."

Liberal Party President Akbar announced the party's growth to the members below the stage, noting their increasing membership and exponentially increasing newspaper sales. Businessmen and university students are the main supporters of the Liberal Party.

The Liberal Party advocates for social equality and opposes racial and religious discrimination. They promote education reform to improve the quality and capabilities of the population, thus gaining support from Armenians and other minority groups.

But for every supporter, there is an opponent; the conservatives have repeatedly harassed the Liberal Party's activities. They even formed two groups to oppose them: the Progressive Party, comprised of many enlightened landowners and factory owners, and the Revival Party, formed by members of the royal family. Both had powerful figures behind them.

“Now, we cannot be complacent with progress. Without a real parliament, we will continue to petition until the Shah hears our voices.”

The crowd applauded; they had taken a significant step forward towards their goal, and government policies were moving in the direction they had hoped for. They believed they would soon see Parliament.

The members thought so, but the higher-ups didn't. After his speech, Akbar summoned all the higher-ups and began to explain their situation.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our development is progressing very rapidly, and we believe we have become a focus of the government's attention."

"What will they do?" someone asked.

"It's hard to say. Our country simply doesn't have the direct opportunity to develop a parliament, unlike Britain, which had the rudiments of a parliament nine hundred years ago and then continuously improved its status."

Now, we hope the Shah will accept our request. Absolute monarchy cannot last; parliamentary politics is the right path.”

Akbar also led members of the Liberal Party on a trip to the UK, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium to study parliamentary politics, including the rotation of political parties and term limits, which are things to learn.

Of course, they also saw the outcome of the 1848 revolution. The confrontation between the government and the people always ends in the defeat of the people. Therefore, a good monarch is crucial for the implementation of policies.

Akbar's words plunged the Freedom Party's leaders into deep thought. They knew that despite the Freedom Party's strong momentum, Iran's political environment was vastly different from Europe's. The power of the conservatives was not to be underestimated. How to advance parliamentary politics in such an environment was a formidable challenge.

The Ba'ath Party, composed mostly of members of the royal family, is currently the second largest political group after the Progressive Party. Its core members are largely from Iran's royal families, possessing abundant political and economic resources. These members not only wield significant influence domestically but also maintain close ties with conservative forces internationally. Supporters include many large landowners and businessmen who provide strong economic backing to the Ba'ath Party through their control of land and commercial resources.

The Ba'ath Party promoted its conservative ideology through newspapers, speeches, and rallies. They emphasized the Shah's leadership and national stability, attempting to win popular support. The Progressive Party did the same; the three parties, representing different political ideologies, vied for greater influence. However, regardless of their antics, one thing was certain: they were hostile to Russia and friendly towards Austria and Mexico. At this time, anyone who claimed to be friendly with Russia was considered a traitor.

This is understandable; Iran has been oppressed by Russia for too long, and nothing is more humiliating than ceding territory and paying reparations. Both Austria and Iran face the threat of Russia. This common enemy has brought the two countries closer diplomatically.

At the same time, Austrian technology provided crucial support for Iran's modernization. Iran's industrial development is inseparable from Austria's assistance, while Austria also relies on Iran's raw materials and kerosene.

Animosity towards Russia is deeply ingrained among the Iranian people. Merchants, farmers, and intellectuals alike feel anger and unease about Russia's expansionist actions. If Russia can expand into the Pacific, they want to do the same.

In stark contrast, the Iranian people hold a friendly attitude towards Austria and Mexico. They hope to enhance Iran's international standing and economic strength through cooperation with these countries.

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Cotton prices in Liverpool had been steadily rising. But the situation has changed in the last few days; cotton prices suddenly surged to $1.5, then rose to $2.1 the next day, and continue to climb. Tension and unease filled the exchange; everyone realized that behind this price storm lay a larger political and economic game.

The sudden price increase dealt an unimaginable blow to the textile industry, the reason being that the Confederate States of America voluntarily stopped exporting cotton.

This decision immediately triggered shockwaves in the global cotton market. The Confederate States of America's move was clearly intended to pressure European countries into recognizing the South's independence. The northern naval blockade had been in place for months, cutting off the South's cotton exports. The Confederate's voluntary halt plunged European textile mills into a raw material shortage crisis.

The surge in cotton prices triggered a global speculative frenzy. Financial markets in London and Paris were flooded with cotton futures trading, with prices soaring from an initial 60 cents to $2.2 or even higher. This, in turn, led to a surge in textile prices, triggering inflation. People across Europe began to feel the rising cost of living, and social discontent gradually spread.

Iran seized the opportunity to sell off some cotton, earning over 1200 million rials from 2.5 million rials – more than 20 times the initial investment. While this alleviated some of the cotton shortage pressure, it also triggered dramatic price fluctuations. Financial markets in London and Paris reacted strongly to Iran's move, with cotton prices experiencing significant volatility in a short period.

No one understood that this was a country profiting in the international market; they assumed it was speculators preparing to sell and take profits. Their only concern was that cotton prices might plummet, causing a market collapse.

However, exchange prices proved them wrong; prices continued to rise, reaching $2.66 per pound within a month. During this period, cotton worth over a million pounds was being sold off. It's unclear who had such vast wealth; it was either a banker like the Rothschilds or some other high-ranking nobleman.

A steady stream of funds flowed into Nasser al-Din's coffers through Viennese banks. The unprecedented amount shocked everyone. This was truly impressive; it was far more profitable than farming or factories. If another war were to break out, this would undoubtedly present a significant investment opportunity.

(End of this chapter)