Gholamali Haddad Adel, on Thursday, November 5, coinciding with the National Day of Struggle Against Global Arrogance and while reviewing the 30-volume collection of Iranian colonial studies by Mousa Najafi, a historian and researcher, stated at the Constitutional House in Isfahan: History is the collective memory of nations, and if a nation forgets its past, it loses its identity.
He stated that we must revisit the history of Iran over the past 250 years from the perspective of colonialism, intervention, and foreign influence, adding: In this review, we should not base our narrative on that of the colonizers; because in many countries around the world, and even in our own country, the prevailing narrative is still that of those who viewed history from the perspective of the colonizer.
The History of Colonialism and the Balance of Power
Haddad Adel said: General colonialism emerged after the Renaissance and in the last 500 years. The Renaissance was accompanied by the emergence of modernity and transformations in Western thought, one of its foundations being human-centeredness. This path continued in the thoughts of some Western philosophers and ultimately led to views that Nietzsche is considered a prominent figure of.
He further referred to the philosophy of Western history and said: This idea emerged that human history has a linear path of progress and Europe stands at the peak of this path.
The Role of Colonialism in Iranian History
The head of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature discussed the role of the Industrial Revolution in changing the balance of power between Western countries and other regions of the world, stating: The invention of the steam engine and the production of firearms increased the military and economic power of European countries. These changes caused many non-Western powers to lag behind militarily.
Haddad Adel referred to the specific colonialism of Iran during the Qajar period and added: During that time, Tsarist Russia had influence and dominance in the north and Britain in the south of Iran. The treaties of 1907 and 1917 can also be examined within this framework.
He continued to discuss the impact of the Industrial Revolution and British influence in Iran, stating: The British sought to establish a government in Iran that would align with their interests.
Haddad Adel concluded by emphasizing that understanding history and past experiences can help young people avoid repeating mistakes.
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