The Evolution of Educational Discourse in Iran (1906–1941): From the Project of National Salvation to Authoritarian Modernization

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine the evolution of educational discourse in Iran from the Constitutional Revolution to the end of Reza Shah Pahlavi’s reign (1906–1941). The central question is why and how education, during this period, was transformed from a “project of national salvation” with a social and citizen-centered character into an instrument of “authoritarian modernization” and centralized state-building. Using a historical-analytical method and focusing on the discourse of the press, educational documents, and the memoirs of political elites, the article explores this dual process. Drawing on primary sources, including the press of the Constitutional era, memoirs of statesmen, and educational documents, as well as a theoretical framework based on reform from above and directive reformism, the study shows that during the Constitutional period, education was regarded as a prerequisite for legalism and nation-building, a social ideal, and a popular demand. However, during the Reza Shah period, with the establishment of the first Pahlavi monarchy (1925–1941), this discourse underwent a fundamental transformation. Reza Shah’s powerful and centralized state implemented the Constitutional ideal of universal education through the Compulsory Education Law, standardized curricula, and institutions such as the University of Tehran and teacher-training colleges. Yet this realization came at a heavy cost. During the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi, the same ideal, under the logic of a centralized and ideological state, led to compulsory education, a uniform curriculum, and ancient-oriented nationalism. The findings indicate that although educational modernization during this period achieved significant structural and quantitative accomplishments, its top-down and non-participatory nature caused it to fail in fostering critical consciousness, educational justice, and sustainable social acceptance. The article concludes that the dual legacy of this transition—success in constructing modern institutional forms versus failure in democratic educational content—cast a long shadow over Iran’s educational system for decades.