Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 535 Twenty-Year Development Report (Part 1)
Iran’s changes are evident to all, and the government has incorporated them into the 20-year development report presented to the Shah.

It is generally believed that 1847 marked the beginning of a major national reform. Therefore, the government also began recording a series of significant events starting in 1847.

The report begins with a description of Iran's population. Since there was no census in 1847, the figures were only estimates. The government estimated that Iran's total population in 1847 was around 1000 million.

By 1867, Iran's population had increased to 3412 million. This included some people from newly acquired territories, but the majority was due to the increased population growth rate.

The number of hospitals has increased from 0 to 557, with 5163 doctors and 10325 nurses and pharmacists. The establishment of this healthcare system has significantly reduced the mortality rate and continues to expand. Becoming a doctor or nurse is a highly desirable career path, offering both high status and high salaries.

The number of formal government employees has reached 33, all of whom were selected through examinations within the last twenty years. These people are more loyal than elders and the like, and of course, more efficient; they can generally carry out the orders issued by the government. It's much better than the previous local government.

Furthermore, teachers have become a formally employed position in the government. Primary schools, secondary schools, universities, and various vocational schools are all funded by the government. These three professions are highly sought after, and many people participate in each examination.

The education system boasts a record 4.8 university students. They are the nation's fresh blood, filling every corner of the country. Hundreds also travel to Prussia, Austria, and the UK each year to study, returning home to become military officers, entrepreneurs, or pursue other careers. Of course, some enter scientific research institutes to advance their technological advancements.

Regarding culture and language, all citizens speak Persian, but 12% also speak Arabic, 7% speak Armenian, and 5% speak Ottoman Turkish, Georgian, Greek, and other languages. The government reserves their right to speak other languages, but Persian must be learned! That's the rule.

In terms of religion, 84% of the population adheres to Shia Islam, 4% to Sunni Islam, 7% to the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the remaining 5% to other religions such as Eastern Orthodoxy, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Lutheranism, and Catholicism. These groups are managed by a religious council, which promotes religious peace with Shia Islam as the dominant religion.

Shia Islam has also undergone many transformations. The first was the adoption of Persian as the sole language, with Arabic still used in places like Mecca, while Iranian languages ​​are used for daily religious activities.

Furthermore, the Ashura festival was linked to the Persian epic Shahnameh, emphasizing the sacrifice of Hussein and the tragic narrative of Iranian historical heroes. At the same time, Qom, Mashhad, and Mecca were elevated to equal status, diminishing the absolute authority of the Arab holy sites. There were even proposals to appoint intelligent women as religious scholars, but these were opposed by others.

The pharmaceutical industry also developed from scratch. In this era before large-scale production, Iran took the lead in developing the pharmaceutical sector. Iran's First Medical Company was established, beginning the production of barbiturates and carbolic acid disinfectants. This, to some extent, promoted the development of the medical industry.

Many other industries rely on scientific research, including chemicals, petrochemicals, power, and energy. Heavy industries such as steel, machinery, shipbuilding, and mining also rely on research and technology to improve productivity. Steamships and railways were among the most important inventions of the Industrial Age and had the potential to accelerate subsequent growth. By 1867, the number of merchant ships in Iran had increased from 15 to 619, and the railway network had reached 8700 kilometers. The road network was 16580 kilometers long, and the telegraph lines were 11683 kilometers long, connecting various parts of Iran and facilitating population movement and information transmission.

Shipbuilding is one of the key industries promoted by the government, and port cities such as Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Basra, and Muscat all have at least one shipyard. Bushehr's shipbuilding output is as high as 700 million riyals, but not as high as Bandar Abbas's 1300 million, with 90% of that driven by the military industry.

With the establishment of the Ministry of Posts, telegraph and postal services began to accelerate. A total of 2500 rural post offices and 450 town post offices were set up nationwide. Logistics became faster, reducing delivery time by at least half. This promoted commercial development.

In mining, this year's coal production reached 450 million tons, and iron ore production reached 380 million tons. Other minerals, such as gold, sulfur, and copper, also saw production increase more than tenfold compared to 1847. Correspondingly, steel and pig iron production reached 65 tons, and these figures continue to rise.

Steel, due to its hardness, was used in construction. In 1862, the first 10-story building was completed in Tehran, and such buildings began to appear in large numbers in various cities. Most of these buildings were used as apartments, rented to migrant workers.

Iran receives 10 immigrants annually, including 6 Ottomans, 3 Egyptians, Syrians, and Shia Muslims from India, among others. Most of them belong to Iran's working class and earn income. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Ottoman laborers remain in Iran each year, contributing to the Iranian economy and earning incomes they wouldn't even qualify for back home.

In the national per capita income report, Tabriz and Baku have the highest per capita income at 1050 riyals, followed by Tehran (862 riyals) and Baghdad (843 riyals). Even Isfahan and Samarkand have 732 and 701 riyals respectively. However, in the eastern regions such as Herat and Zahedan, the per capita income is a paltry 200 riyals.

Furthermore, while industry was taking off in the western regions of Baghdad and Tabriz, and agricultural reforms were underway in Mazandran and Mesopotamia, the impoverished east was experiencing the fastest population growth. This population was providing a large labor force for the west, a situation the government had only recently begun to notice and increase its investment in the east.

Farmers still make up more than half of the national population. While industrialization is indeed rapid, more farmers are becoming migrant workers, and some are transforming into urban laborers, working alongside their families. This group currently accounts for 15% of the national population, and is projected to increase to 25% in 10 years.

Of these workers, 1% belong to the skilled workforce, possessing advanced skills and managing factories for higher wages than ordinary workers. However, labor remains a destabilizing factor in cities; if the economy falters, factories will lay off workers, leading to a massive wave of unemployment. The government will likely face a major headache if this affects millions of people.

Excluding farmers and laborers, who make up the majority of the population, there are also shop owners, officials, and other individuals. Currently, Iran's situation appears relatively healthy, provided the economic momentum is not disrupted.

(End of this chapter)