The Rise and Fall of the Shah: Iran from Autocracy to Religious Rule [Paperback]

Amin Saikal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 9, 2009

On November 4, 1979, when students occupied the American Embassy in Tehran and subsequently demanded that the United States return the Shah in exchange for hostages, the deposed Iranian ruler's regime became the focus of worldwide scrutiny and controversy. But, as Amin Saikal shows, this was far from the beginning of Iran's troubles.

Saikal examines the rule of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, especially from 1953 to 1979, in the context of his regime's dependence on the United States and his dreams of transforming Iran into a world power. Saikal argues that, despite the Shah's early achievements, his goals and policies were full of inherent contradictions and weaknesses and ultimately failed to achieve their objectives. Based on government documents, published and unpublished literature, and interviews with officials in Iran, Britain, and the United States, The Rise and Fall of the Shah critically reviews the domestic and foreign policy objectives--as well as the behavior--of the Shah to explain not only what happened, but how and why.

In a new introduction, Saikal reflects on what has happened in Iran since the fall of the Shah and relates Iran's past to its political present and future.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A sober, scholarly study of the place of Iran in world politics, of the 53-year reign of the Pahlavi family and of the effects of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi's dependence on the United States. -- New York Times



[A] scholar's measured assessment, based on knowledge of the country and of Persian sources, and skillful in its interweaving of domestic and international factors. -- Foreign Affairs



[T]he best single volume on contemporary Iran. -- Shahram Chubin, International Affairs



Saikal's book achieves a high level of specificity and detail while remaining easily readable and therefore it is a handy academic resource as well as an accessible text for a general audience. -- Pascal Abidor, Political Studies Review



Saikal updates this edition with an excellent introduction devoted to the dynamics of contemporary politics in the Islamic Republic and Iran's nuclear ambitions. . . . [T]his study, still timely after three decades, naturally invites comparisons between the autocratic shah and his equally repressive successors. -- Jonathan G. Katz, The Historian

About the Author

Amin Saikal is professor of political science and director of the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies (Middle East and Central Asia) at the Australian National University. His recent books include "Islam and the West: Conflict or Cooperation?" and "Modern Afghanistan: A History of Struggle and Survival".

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (February 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691140405
• ISBN-13: 978-0691140407
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,281,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A short, concise and easy to read book, about the last Shah, August 10, 2011

By 

Dalton C. Rocha (Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Rise and Fall of the Shah: Iran from Autocracy to Religious Rule (Paperback)

I read this good book, here in Brazil. This book is a short, concise and easy to read book, about the last Shah of Iran.
Ten excellents parts of this book:
1- Page 53 has informations about Iran's growing during years of Shah's government.
2- Page 57 has informations about growing of American influence in Iran.
3- Pages 76 and 77 have informations about Land Reform.
4- Page 88 has informations about the support of the Shah to women's rights.
5- Pages 93 to 96 have informations about the link between USSR and Iran.
6- Pages 109 to 113 have informations about the first oil shock and flow of tens of billions of US dollars to Iran.
7- Page 158 has informations about Iran's defense budget. Between 27 and 29% of Iranian budget went to armed forces.
8- Page 184 has informations about importations of food for the Iran. This page is the onlyest in this book, with the word "Brazil". In this case as one source of food for Iran.
9- Pages 197 to 199 have informations about Shah's external failures.
10- Page 203 has sentences writen about the main Shah's mistakes. This is the best page of this book.
Even so, I can't give five stars for this book, because:
1- This book follows the opposite way compared to the book " Jimmy Carter: The Liberal Left and World Chaos: A Carter/Obama Plan That Will Not Work " by Mike Evans. In this book, the Shah seems to be (almost) ever wrong. In the Mike Evans' book, the Shah seems to be (almost) ever right. Two opposites ways, with the same mistake. The Shah wasn't so good as in the Mike Evans' book or so bad as in this book. This book hasn't almost nothing about the external pressure to down the Shah. The histerical campaingn against the Shah did by BBC, The New York Times, Le Monde, etc. hasn't any place in this book.
2-Yes, the Shah made a mistake after another mistake, in his last years of rule, but this book forgets how these mistakes were did by following bad advices American hight autorities. As an example, there's informations about the Land Reform did by the Shah in 1960 decade, but when you know the terrible results of this Land Reform, there's just informations about importations of food for the Iran(see page 184), not why Iran became importanting so many food. The other even more terrible result of this Land Reform was the end of the class of land lord that supported the Iranians Shahs for about 2,500 years. Without this class, the Shiite Clergy linked to a poor people and an economic crisis defeated the Shah easily.
3- This book has nothing about the Shah's end in Egypt, without no power, hope or friends. A page about the Shah's end would be a good thing in this book.
4- This book never compares the Shah's failures, with the far worse defects of the Ayatollah Khomeini and his succeessors, in all things. Since the Shah's fall, Iran became a complete economic failure and a main supporter of Islamic terrorism.