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| Teoman Aktan |
Political analyst and activist Teoman Aktan, in an interview with Voice of America on the 78th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Government in Tabriz under the leadership of Seyyed Jafar Pishavari in 1945-46, discussed the political identity and concept of social justice of the short-lived government.
He analyzed the reforms carried out by the founding party, the Azerbaijan Democratic Party, in the fields of politics, economy, and education.
Teoman Aktan highlighted the electoral reforms implemented during that period, stating that the Democratic Party aimed to build democracy at a local level.
"The Azerbaijan Democratic Party, during the turbulent years of World War II and within a short period, implemented significant reforms in various fields. Among these was the issue of representation in political power. That is, reforms were introduced in electoral laws to increase public political participation. It was a first in Iran’s history. Through electoral reforms, groups that previously had no opportunity or chance to participate in political processes were included, and this political participation was strengthened, including by granting women the right to vote and be elected. Minorities were also part of this process," the political analyst noted.
Referring to the famine and severe economic conditions of the 1940s, he emphasized that the economic reforms and projects implemented by the National Government were particularly valuable for that time.
"Another issue of the period was the distribution of wealth. The Azerbaijan Democratic Party carried out reforms in various sectors to alleviate economic hardships. For example, reopening closed factories or providing support for agriculture. These were crucial steps in overcoming economic crises and controlling inflation," he stated.
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| Seyyed Jafar Pishavari presides over the National Government's cabinet meeting, 1945. |
During the interview, Teoman Aktan discussed the land reform undertaken by the Azerbaijan National Government, describing it as “a transformation of the ownership structure.”
"At that time, society was largely based on an agrarian economic structure. Through land reform, the Azerbaijan Democratic Party aimed to distribute wealth and income more equitably across different social strata. At that time, 80% of the land was in the hands of large landowners, meaning that the feudal system was dominant. Additionally, 12% of the land was owned by the state. In other words, the majority of land was controlled by elites outside the agricultural workforce. Through the party's reforms, we see a transformation of this system. Another significant step toward economic balance was the modification of the traditional sharecropping system in favor of those working the land," he explained.
According to the political analyst, all the reforms implemented by the National Government were carried out as a result of legal regulations and decisions made by the national parliament.
"These were reforms and projects that had been on the social and political agenda of Iran since the Constitutional Revolution but had not been realized due to certain political reasons. After the establishment of the Azerbaijan National Government, they were implemented within a defined legal framework and through proper legal regulations. All of these reforms were made possible through decisions taken by the Azerbaijani Parliament. In other words, they were not populist actions, nor were they implemented arbitrarily, without planning, or in an unregulated manner. These were issues that had been prioritized and addressed by Iran’s social democratic circles since the Constitutional Revolution," Teoman Aktan added.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Teoman Aktan: 1945-də Azərbaycan Demokrat Firqəsi yerli səviyyədə bir demokratiya inşa etməyi arzulayırdı