In the first two novels of this month that I read from the Iranian Literature, Muhammad Mossadegh's name kept appearing, alongside the infamous coup that dethroned him as the Prime Minister of Iran in the 1953. Intrigued, I decided to read a book about Mossadegh; since his name I hardly remembered reading in Khomeini's biography a couple of years earlier. Ballaigue's biography of Mossadegh is similar to Baqer Moin's biography of Khomeini, in that it stretches over the whole life of Mossadegh and succeeds in presenting a fuller and comprehensive picture of the man. While in the novels, all I came to know was that Mossadegh was the man who wanted to bring democracy into the 1950's empyreal rule of Iran, and that people really adored and supported him for his vision, in this book I came to know why behind both these facts.
After the fall of Qajar dynasty of Iran, which had risen after the fall of the Safavid empire of Islam, during the late 1920s the Pahlavi dynasty emerged as the Reza Shah became the King of Iran, and named his rule Pahlavi after their ancient forefathers. Muhammad Reza, son of Reza shah, replaced his father after his father named him the next king of Iran. The Pahlavi dynasty was a real kiss-ass to the foreign powers, especially the British empire which was at its peak power of Oriental policies and colonization during 1930s. With oil being discovered in Iran, the British soon arrived with their greater human power and advanced machines to take ownership of her oil. The Shah was okay with that because he wanted Iran to modernize, and Britain's indeclinable authority over their oil would also have its effect through the forceable changes being implied on the Iranian culture.
Mossadegh, a very privilegedly raised child, got his education in Europe, and upon return was given political seat under the rule of Shah. His education along with his unapologetic and uncorruptable personality, made him a successful politician, whereby his career formally began. Mossadegh was well aware of the British dominance over Iran and her oil, so he began nationalizing the oil of Iran, which meant taking the ownership back from the mighty Britain. The British wouldn't like that of course, but Mossadegh, as he grew in power and stepped up the political ladder, wasn't a kiss-ass nor one to step down.
So began the conflict between the Britain and one man, Mossadegh - in which the goliath, the joint forces of MI6 of Britain under Churchill and CIA of America under newly inaugurated president Eisenhower, would ultimately win over the single man David. But the joke's on them, on all of them really, for this infamous and rather tragic coup of 1953 would have severe and reverberating effects on the international relations between Iran and the West: bitter relations that would not only bite back the Americans and British for having failed to foresee such international crisis but would have bad impacts on the whole world.
Besides the political jargon, which is very interesting and involving nonetheless, Ballaigue also writes about the man himself: of a very childlike personality, often in his pajamas, full of tantrums, yet intellectually wise and heartfully patriot Mossadegh.
I really enjoyed knowing this patriot of not only Iran but of democracy; however tragic his story of oil and nationalization might be due to the inconsiderate and grotesque policies of Britain and US combined, it nonetheless had its recurring effects in the eventual independence of Iran, which sadly since then has become a religion dominated country.
Ballaigue's book achieves its aim of making available
a great patriot story for everyone to read and take lessons away from: as for
me, I take away the lesson of being a true David, regardless of the possible
results, because what matters in the end is the fight not the victory.
Ratings: 4/5 **** March 30, 2021_