July 2013
Iran Had An Earlier Brush With Democracy--- in 1906.
The years 1905 and 1906 gave rise to two revolutions, Russian and Persian (today’s Iran). Russia’s 1905 revolution was harshly put down by the Tsar, but Iran’s revolution succeeded in removing a bad Shah and opened Iran’s first parliament---temporarily.
Because of Russia’s disastrous performance in World War I, their second run at a revolution succeeded in 1917. Iran had a different outcome. Their 1906 revolution succeeded until 1911, when the Russians, with Bri more...