When Iran Had A Golden Age | History Documentary

Despite the rapid downfall of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's regime, it had at one point shown much promise. Succeeding his father Reza Khan, Pahlavi enacted sweeping reforms that drastically improved not only Iranian prestige on the global stage, but the status of the average Iranian citizen: per capita income increased 3 fold during the course of his reign and literacy rates jumped from 27% to 80% between 1967 and 1977 alone. But the shadow of his father still loomed over him as an adult - showing this through his propensity for reform, which proved controversial, as did his public self-image as an infallible autocrat. Also inherited from his father was his vindictiveness, seen in his willingness to order military units to meet organized protests and relying heavily on SAVAK secret police to ensure compliance. Pahlavi’s deposition sent major shockwaves across the world that are still felt today. To understand the enigma that is modern Iran, we must begin with its final Shah.