How did the shah gain power?

Answer 1

The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, gained power in 1941 through a coup d'etat against the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq. The Shah was then proclaimed by the British-controlled Iranian parliament as the new ruler. This coup was orchestrated by the British and American governments, who feared Mosaddeqs attempts to nationalize the Iranian oil industry. The Shah then ruled as a monarch until he was overthrown in 1979 during the Iranian Revolution.

The Shah solidified his power in a few key ways. These included:

• Centralizing the government and creating a one-party system
• Instituting a secret police force to suppress any form of dissent or opposition
• Using the military to intimidate the population and control key infrastructure
• Receiving support from the United States and other Western nations

The Shahs oppressive rule ultimately led to his overthrow. The Iranian Revolution saw the Iranian people rise up in protest against the Shahs authoritarian rule and the Western interference in their affairs.