Establishment of the Plan Organization: A shift from political nationalism to economic nationalism

The emergence of technocrats following the 1953 coup d'état signified a transition from political nationalism centered around the nationalization of oil to a new form of economic nationalism. This shift was primarily driven by the global economic and political transformations after World War II, which introduced a new understanding of the concept of "the economy" and positioned technocrats as key actors in governance. Iran's move towards development began in the context of its economic and social backwardness left by the war. Prime Minister Mossadegh's nationalist government sought to regain national sovereignty and secure increased oil revenues to overcome these conditions, leading to a political confrontation with the British government. This confrontation eventually culminated in the U.S.-British-backed coup d'état against Mossadegh's government. In parallel to Mossadegh's political movement, a group of technocrats led by Abolhasan Ebtehaj entered the government with a different vision. They believed that oil revenues should be based on economic growth and development planning, requiring financial and technical assistance from international development organizations. Consolidating this approach marked the beginning of economic nationalism in Iran, with the Plan Organization becoming the guiding force for Iran's economic and infrastructure development since 1953. This historical analysis focuses on the concentrated interplay of technical and political factors that shaped the ascendance of technocrats and the role of state planning in Iran's extensive socio-economic transformation from the 1950s onwards, providing a deeper understanding of the process.