Fakhreddin Shadman, also known as ''Fakhreddin Shadman Valari'', (1907–1967) was one of the leading scholars, writers and statesmen in the

Pahlavi Iran The Imperial State of Iran, officially known as the Imperial State of Persia until 1935, and commonly referred to as Pahlavi Iran, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Pahlavi dynasty. The Pahlavi dynasty was created in 1925 and lasted ...

. He was a faculty member at the

University of Tehran The University of Tehran (UT) or Tehran University (, ) is a public collegiate university in Iran, and the oldest and most prominent Iranian university located in Tehran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as ...

. He also held various cabinet posts in 1948 and in 1953–1954.

Early life and education

Shadman was born in Tehran in 1907 into a family composed of clerics. His father, Hājj Sayyed Abu Torab, was a

cleric Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

. He was the eldest child of his parents and had five brothers and one sister. Shadman completed his secondary education at the Darolfonun school in Tehran. He attended the Teachers Training College where he graduated in 1925 and had a degree from the School of Law in Tehran in 1927. He received a PhD in history from the

London School of Economics and Political Science The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public university, public research university in London, England, and a member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the University ...

in 1939. Charles Kingsley Webster was his advisor, and his thesis was entitled ''The Relations of Britain and Persia, 1800-15''.

Career

Following his graduation Shadman joined the Iranian judiciary system and served as the deputy public prosecutor of Tehran. Between 1932 and 1935 he worked at the

Anglo-Persian Oil Company The Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC; ) was a British company founded in 1909 following the discovery of a large oil field in Masjed Soleiman, Persia (Iran). The British government purchased 51% of the company in 1914, gaining a controlling numbe ...

. During his studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science he also taught Persian there and also, at the

School of Oriental and African Studies The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS University of London; ) is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Founded in 1916, SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury area ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he left Britain for the United States where he worked as a visiting scholar at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

He returned to Iran and began to work at various state institutions. On 15 June 1948 he was appointed minister of national economy to the

cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

led by

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Abdolhossein Hazhir Abdolhossein Hazhir (‎; 4 June 1902 – 5 November 1949) was an Iranian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Iran under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (26 October 1919 – 27 July 1980) was the last List of ...

. In 1950 he joined the

where he became a professor of the history of Iran and Islam. Shadman was appointed minister of economy in 1953 and then minister of justice in 1954 to the cabinet headed by

Fazlollah Zahedi Fazlollah Zahedi (, pronounced ; 17 May 1892 – 2 September 1963) was an Iranian military officer and statesman who replaced the Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh through a coup d'état supported by the United States and the United Kingd ...

. He continued to serve as minister of national economy in the next cabinet formed by

Hossein Ala' Hosein Alā (; 13 December 1881 – 13 July 1964) was a prominent Iranian diplomat and statesman who held several key positions during the early 20th century, including two terms as Prime Minister. Background He was born in 1881 in Tehran and s ...

in the spring of 1955 when Zahedi resigned from office. Retiring from politics Shadman taught at the University of Tehran until 1967. He was also the administrator of Imam Reza Shrine Properties, a member of the Iranian Academy and the Cultural Council of the Imperial Court of Iran and a board member of Pahlavi Library. Shadman was one of the individuals who contributed to the establishment of the Oil College in

Abadan Abadan (; ) is a city in the Central District (Abadan County), Central District of Abadan County, Khuzestan province, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. The city is in the southwest of the coun ...

, known as

Petroleum University of Technology The Petroleum University of Technology () is an Iranian public university funded by the Ministry of Petroleum particularly by its main company, the NIOC. It was founded in 1939 in Abadan in response to the increasing industrialization of Iran ...

Views

Shadman was a nationalist and one of the early Iranian scholars who emphasized the negative effects of the modernization on the Iranian society. He adopted

Martin Heidegger Martin Heidegger (; 26 September 1889 – 26 May 1976) was a German philosopher known for contributions to Phenomenology (philosophy), phenomenology, hermeneutics, and existentialism. His work covers a range of topics including metaphysics, art ...

's notion that in each historical period there is a truth "which obscures competing truths." Based on this he argued that the Western-origin views should be avoided to maintain the spiritual origins and political unity of Iran. His views are regarded as the basis for the nationalistic approach of the Islamic left figures.

Personal life and death

Shadman married Farangis Namazi in London in 1941. In 1967 he was diagnosed with cancer and went to London for treatment. He died there on 26 August 1967 and was buried in

Mashhad Mashhad ( ; ), historically also known as Mashad, Meshhed, or Meshed in English, is the List of Iranian cities by population, second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about from Tehran. ...

near the shrine of

Imam Reza shrine The Imam Reza shrine (; ) is a Shi'ite shrine, imamzadeh and mausoleum complex, located in Mashhad, in the province of Razavi Khorasan, Iran. The shrine contains the grave of Ali al-Rida, who is regarded as the eighth Imam in Shia Islam. Als ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shadman, Fakhreddin 20th-century Iranian historians 1907 births 1967 deaths Government ministers of Iran People of Pahlavi Iran Politicians from Tehran Academic staff of the University of Tehran Deaths from cancer in England Alumni of the London School of Economics Ministers of justice of Iran Historians of Islam Historians of Iran Heidegger scholars Iranian nationalists