The Function of Rumor in Popular Political Culture in the Qajar Era: The Pre-Constitutional Period

Rumors about the rulers formed an important part of the political culture of the people in the pre-constitutional period. Therefore, it is very important to know the role of rumor in the political action of the subordinates and its function in the face of domination. Our research questions are: In which part of the political life of the people was spreading rumors used? And which of the domains did it challenge? Our assumption is that rumor was used in all three main approaches of the subordinates: denying the official narrative of the government, thwarting the strategies of the rulers in shaping this narrative, establishing dialogue with the hegemons, and paving the way for rebellion. Rumors cast doubt on the capability of the government’s military forces. It denied the claim of inherent superiority of the ruling elites. It also rejected the ruler’s adherence to religious precepts. Some rumors also incited the people to revolt. In addition, people turned their hopes and aspirations into rumors as an excuse to reduce exploitation. The theoretical framework of the research is the theory of hidden transcripts by James C. Scott. He has tried to identify and explain the methods of the lower classes to resist domination.