The Impact of British Imperialist Policies on the Formation of the Constitutionalism Discourse in Iran

Abstract

This article explores the impact of British imperialist policies on the formation of the constitutionalist discourse in late Qajar Iran. Adopting a historical-analytical approach and drawing on primary sources and archival documents, the study argues that Britain influenced not only Iran’s political and economic structure through direct interventions, but also shaped the country’s intellectual and discursive space via soft power mechanisms, including cultural diplomacy, the press, intellectual networks, and the transmission of modern political concepts. The constitutionalist discourse, as a novel political formation, emerged in the context of both resistance and engagement with imperial forces, reconstructing key concepts such as justice, law, nation, and parliament through a unique synthesis of tradition and modernity. Using historical discourse analysis and postcolonial critique, the article conceptualizes Britain not merely as an imperialist interloper, but as an active element in shaping a new political language in Iran. The findings highlight the pivotal role of the British Embassy, Persian-language press in British territories, diaspora associations, and intermediaries such as Mirza Malkom Khan in introducing and reshaping modern concepts. The emergent discourse left a long-term legacy on Iranian political culture, which still resonates in the contemporary aspirations for legality, justice, and political participation. The article concludes by suggesting that the role of imperial powers in shaping intellectual and political transformations in peripheral societies should be examined through the lens of discursive interaction rather than solely antagonistic frameworks.