Reza Shah’s Thirst for Land Ownership in Mazandaran; Motivations and Methods

Reza Shah ruled over Iran for 16 years (1925- 1941). The fundamental shift in the status of land ownership system was, in comparison with previous eras, the most important feature of the era of his reign. Such an extensive shift was unprecedented before Reza Shah’s reign. As a matter of fact, land, land ownership, and landlord classes played very important roles in sociopolitical developments of previous eras. However, Reza Shah did not have landlord ancestors. Due to the extensiveness of Reza Shah’s lands and properties, the Office of Royal Properties was established in order to handle the affairs of these properties. Initiatives associated with the activities of Office of Royal Properties resulted in some modernizations in northern regions of Iran, especially in Mazandaran Province; nevertheless, these initiatives led to severe violation of people’s rights in those regions. The present research is focused on specifying Reza Shah’s motivations and methodologies which enabled him to seize and register extensive properties in Mazandaran for himself during his reign.