In the study of political history, it is possible to encounter different methods and approaches. One can focus on defining events and expose their hidden causes and backgrounds. One can also follow the actions of notable politicians and demonstrate the characteristics and consequences of their actions. However, if we are not interested in simply recording events or are eager to understand the conditions and circumstances of ordinary and unknown people in relation to political affairs, Vanessa Martin’s book is a shining and instructive example. In this book, ordinary people are shown to be constantly affected by and influencing political power in their daily individual and collective actions. Different groups of people with various interests and class, religious, and ethnic tendencies align and struggle with power. They are never passive and indifferent masses in the face of political power, but rather advance their desires and goals through categorizations, alliances, protests, and collective actions.

The author begins their work with the question of how a country as vast as Iran has been able to maintain its independence for over a century and suspend the domination of foreigners. According to Martin, this was not possible in a power vacuum. He finds his answer in an analysis of power, which relied not only on force in governing its citizens, but also to a great extent on reaching agreements with the people and relying on a complex system of balances that were formed through negotiations and political bargaining between the people at all levels and the government.

The author first discusses the social life during the Qajar period and the historical background of Islamic society, then explains the distribution of power and the situation of cities and markets. Then, in separate chapters, he shows how people in three regions of Iran, namely Bushehr, Shiraz, and Isfahan, react to the influence of foreigners, especially the British, in their interactions with religious forces, powerful families, and major merchants. He also explains how they use local power to pressure the central government or vice versa, and how they protest using various means and resources. These protests were often economic and focused on taxes, and sometimes even led to changes in governors and local rulers.

One of the prominent features of this book is its attention to the role of different groups and classes of ordinary people. Martin, in separate chapters, discusses the position and role of women in political activism and public demonstrations, especially in the protests known as…

Bread shortage.

He pays attention. He describes the conditions of soldiers and military forces during this time and compares them to order and rebellion. He also discusses the role of groups such as looters and urban rioters in public protests and describes the situation of the marginalized black population in Qajar Iran, comparing their social status, rights, and duties to those of black slaves in the West.

Vanessa Martin is a researcher, writer, and professor of Middle Eastern history at the Royal Holloway Research Institute at the University of London. She is also a member of the editorial board of the Royal Society for Asian Studies and serves as the chair of the publishing committee at the British Institute. She describes her research interests as modern Iranian history, particularly the Constitutional Revolution. She has used various sources to write this book, including archives in Iran such as decrees, telegraphs, and petitions, as well as reports from consuls in the National Archives of Britain and works by travelers.