When Power Brokers Meet the Pavement
The idea that bazaars are "parallel centers of power" isn't entirely new, but its contemporary re-packaging often serves as a convenient shorthand, obscuring deeper historical patterns: FIRST INSTANCE: The Iranian Constitutional Revolution (1905-1911) The merchant class (bazaaris), alongside ulema (clergy) and intellectuals, played a significant role in protesting against the Qajar dynasty's
perceived weakness and granting of concessions to European powers. Their calls for a constitution and rule of law were certainly impactful, leading to the formation of Iran's first Parliament. However, it's crucial to note that this was largely a movement of established societal pillars, seeking to reform, not overthrow, the system (Abrahamian, 1982). REPETITIONS: The Iranian Revolution (1979) A
similar framing emerged during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The bazaaris indeed participated in strikes and demonstrations against the Shah, often closing their shops in protest. This economic pressure was undeniably a factor. *But* equating their conservative, often religiously traditionalist, opposition with the broad-based, multi-class, and revolutionary fervor that ultimately brought Ayatollah
Khomeini to power is a considerable oversimplification. The revolution’s success stemmed from widespread popular discontent, student movements, workers' strikes, and religious networks far beyond the bazaars (Keddie, 2003). To focus solely on the bazaaris is to ignore the millions in the streets demanding fundamental change. REPETITIONS EXTENDED: The 'Arab Spring' (2011) and Syrian Civil War