Shahrbani and Crisis Management in Mosaddiq Government (1951- 1953)

Democratic regimes respect political freedoms and rights. However, in time of crisis, such regimes face many problems. The government of Dr. Mosaadiq was of the nationalist-democratic government which experienced such difficulties. In fact, due to the economic problems rooted in oil sanctions, Iran witnessed many strike actions and street protests from the very beginning of Mosaddiq government. As a powerful opposition, Tudeh Party of Iran played an important role in these events. Killing and stifling of opposition groups by Shahrbani (law enforcement force) weakened Mosaddiq government both in domestic and international levels. The chiefs of Shahrbani were changed ten times in Mosaddiq era which in return indicates, on the one hand, the massiveness and seriousness of strikes and demonstrations and, on the other hand, the unsuccessfulness of Shahrbani to control the situation. A reason of this unsuccessfulness was the discordance of the Shahrbani chiefs with government that had not a definitive policy dealing with the law breakers and opposition groups. Relying on the documents and press contents and reviewing the opposition strikes and demonstrations, the article tries to analyze the role of Shahrbani in events control.