The Educational System and Its Correlation with Bureaucracy in Iran during the Reza Shah Pahlavi’s reign (1925-1941)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Graduate, History of Iran, Imam Khomeini International University; Expert in National Library and Archives of Iran, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Department History of Islamic Iran, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran

Abstract
The administrative system and the educational institution, as two key cultural factors  in the establishment and consolidation of twentieth-century governments, have long been subjects of extensive analysis and description. Most of these analyses and descriptions  focus on exploring the various dimensions of each system individually, but  the interconnection between the two institutions has often been overlooked. In Reza Shah’s Iran, the administrative system underwent  significant transformation primarily requiring  young, educated, and specialized personnel to replace the traditional bureaucratic elite. One main objective of the educational reforms during this period, beyond improving culture and raising literacy levels, was to provide a new cadre of government employees. Examining this issue and the relationship between education and bureaucracy constitutes the central focus of this study. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and relying on documentary and library sources, the present study seeks to answer the question: What role did the relationship between the administrative system and the educational institution play during the Reza Shah's era (1304-1320) in the government employment process? The findings indicate that the relationship  between the educational system and the administrative apparatus provided the foundation for the transformation of the administrative system. Educational policies and programs served as tools for supplying government personnel, and the educational process created a framework through which individuals, upon completing their academic studies, entered the administrative apparatus

Keywords


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Volume 17, Issue 63 - Serial Number 63
Spring 2025
Spring 2025
Pages 1-30

  • Receive Date 26 February 2025
  • Revise Date 30 June 2025
  • Accept Date 12 July 2025
  • Publish Date 22 May 2025