Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 564 Two Young Fathers

For Nasser al-Din, improving domestic affairs and military preparedness were fundamental to diplomacy and warfare. Therefore, he placed great emphasis on local inspections. This allowed him to see firsthand the extent to which policies were being implemented, without worrying about local officials deceiving their superiors. Because such inspections could directly result in imprisonment.

Although other cities like Baku and Yerevan are developing rapidly, Tabriz remains Iran's largest economic city, holding an unshakeable position. Tabriz accounts for a significant share of heavy industries such as military, steel, and machinery.

Tabriz Steel Company produces 75% of the country's crude steel and pig iron, covering an area of ​​18 square kilometers and employing 1.2 people. It is one of the largest companies in the region.

A furnace of molten iron is poured into a mold, and with the addition of other techniques, it becomes usable steel. Murad watched this production process with curiosity; if it weren't for the danger, he would have liked to get closer to take a look.

"Where will this pig iron and steel be sold?" Murad asked the steel mill's technicians.

"Most of them will be sold to construction sites, as well as weapons factories, artillery factories, shipyards, etc."

Steel is being used in more and more places now, and we are working hard to expand production. The target is 100 million tons.

Such an ambitious goal! Britain currently produces 620 million tons of pig iron and steel combined. There's still a long way to go to reach or surpass this target. Other notable producers include France (120 million tons), the United States (160 million tons), and Germany (90 tons). Iran ranks fifth, surpassing Austria, Spain, and Russia.

The workers' wages range from 20 to 40 rials per week, which is about one-third higher than in the United States. However, a portion of this amount has to be handed over to the factory canteen for meal expenses, so don't expect the workers to get anything good to eat; they should be grateful if they get any food at all.

Murad inspected the steel plant, while Nasser al-Din went to the villages in the countryside. The villages around Tabriz have been largely modernized, with each household owning a steam threshing machine and a range of farm tools, and some even owning more than twenty horses for transporting goods.

Between the villages were primary schools, post offices, and clinics, and the roads had changed from dirt tracks to gravel roads. Everything had changed.

Naser al-Din had lunch with the villagers and, during his inspection of the fields, personally distributed tobacco to them. This gesture surprised and delighted the farmers, as Naser al-Din had done on many previous visits, consistently meeting with them and projecting a friendly image.

The Shah discussed their current living conditions with them, whether their jobs were easy to do, whether they were making money, and what the usual prices were like. Like Alexander II of Russia, Nasser al-Din was also a father to all the people of Iran, except that this father cared more about his children.

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So, what is this young Russian father doing? He's purifying the country!
After receiving the title of Liberator, Alexander II began reforms in various fields, including the military, law, and local affairs.

Looking back on an era filled with anticipation and a strong atmosphere of reform, we are filled with joy. However, the initial reforms, including the abolition of serfdom, were disappointing, leading to discontent that spread and eventually affected everyone.

Some people are dissatisfied because they have lost their property, such as landowners, while others are dissatisfied because the price they paid was too high and the reward too little, such as farmers. A significant portion of the bureaucracy believes that change is happening too fast, while many others believe that change is happening too slowly.

Discontent was widespread within the country. The emperor was no longer the energetic and ruthless ruler he once was; the officers even gave the current monarch a nickname: 'Old Woman.' This caused Alexander II great distress.

He had barely overcome his inner resistance to embark on the path of reform, because he felt he had suffered a crushing defeat and that only this method could restore the empire's authority and Russia's prestige and status on the international stage. But now, everyone hates him and wishes he were dead!

The left thought he was too harsh on the people; the right thought he wasn't tough enough; Westernizers thought his reforms weren't deep enough; Slavophiles thought he had abandoned Russian virtues. No one was satisfied, leading to increasing riots and signs that his rule was faltering.

To stabilize the situation, His Majesty the Emperor did two things. First, he implemented a crackdown. He used the secret police to conduct a massive crackdown on the opposition, especially anarchists and populists. Organizations were destroyed, newspapers and special publications were shut down, and even the word "progress" was forbidden.

Secondly, Russia diverts attention through diplomacy and the suppression of other nationalisms; its main expansionist route in recent years has been eastward expansion. From Warsaw to Vladivostok, Russia's territory has continued to expand.

As its territory expanded, Russia's ethnic issues became more severe. Looking at the "ethnic composition of the population," 72.5% are Russian; however, the empire also contains 6.6% Finns, 6.3% Poles, 3.9% Lithuanians, 3.4% Jews, and 7% of other ethnicities. Furthermore, no survey was conducted on Ukrainians, and the Orthodox Christian population in the Lesser Russia region is automatically considered Russian.

The European part of Russia was both the heart of the empire and a walled city. Finnish rule was peaceful and tranquil, its inhabitants content with their fate and satisfied with their council. In Siberia, however, the indigenous population was small and unable to resist colonization.

The Great Russian mentality began to take hold, with the Tsarist government oppressing every minority group indiscriminately. Jews, Poles, Sunnis, and Shiites were forced to relocate to designated areas. Particularly in the south, following the end of the conflict with Iran, a population relocation program was implemented, resulting in a number of riots, perhaps twenty or more per year, being considered a minority.

The war between Prussia and Austria and France presented Russia with a golden opportunity to declare that it was not obligated to abide by the provisions of the Treaty of Paris that restricted its rights in the Black Sea. After the French surrender at Metz, acknowledging France's defeat, Foreign Minister Gorchakov sent a notification to the European nations. Britain vehemently opposed this unilateral decision by Russia, but had no means to prevent it.

This was indeed a diplomatic victory: without fighting, by simply taking advantage of the favorable situation in Europe, they regained what they had lost after their defeat in 1856. At a time of domestic turmoil, this diplomatic triumph invigorated Alexander II. With the Black Sea now open, they could once again wage war against the Ottomans, liberate their Orthodox brothers in the Balkans in one fell swoop, and reach the gates of Constantinople. In this way, Russia could also break free from geographical limitations, and its fleet could sail throughout the world.

(End of this chapter)