'MILITARY REPORT ON PERSIA. VOL. IV, PART II.' [‎38v] (81/212)

64
Firs.
but force and fear. The mullds of the Shi ah religion are re-
actionary and dread anything that may weaken their preroga
tives or dispel the superstition of the masses ; they, therefore
deprecate the spread of civil rights and liberties to their bond
slaves. The governing and upper classes are all reactionanea
and royalists, beimt steeped in corruption, and having, battened
for centuries on such ill-gotten gains as an imqiutous system of
government allowed them to squeeze out of the masses. The
Persians are an emotional people, quick to seize upon a new idea
or doctrine and their subtle active brains render them pecuh-
arlv susceptible to the influence of any kind of sentimental or
abstract teaching; hence a Persian crowd is easily manipulated
bv a demagogue. So it follows that a few enthusiasts of the
younger generation, who have imbibed western ideas of freedom
and constitutional rights, experience little difficulty in excit
ing an enthusiasm of popular feeling, at least momentary and
spasmodic. Thus, during the nationalist movement, at one
time a fanatical populace was clamouring for a constitution and
abolition of hoary wrongs, and at another was acquiescing,
almost without a'murmur, in the cannonading of its national
assembly, or the arrival of foreign troops to restore order. Cha
racteristics such as these are insufficient to bring about a success
ful revolution, but afford a magnificent field for the machina
tions of agitators and adventurers. The success of the cons
titutional movement was largely due to the adroit use of such
inflammable material by a few bold leaders (mostly aliens),
who supplied the necessary courage, resolution and practical
ability, which the Persian patriots lacked. As to any hopes
that in the future Persia may grow strong and independent
enough to conduct her own administration, with her own trained
and proven leaders, two obstacles stand in the yvay. The first
is the lamentable vanity so marked in the Persian character
which precludes them seeking or ensuing a good example. Up
to a point they may appreciate, or even imitate, what other
nations have achieved. The other obstacle is the reactionary
Shfah religion, with its jested interests, its fanaticism, and its
hatred of progress and modem enlightenment.
(a) Fdrs
Fdrs .—Xo census of Pars has ever been taken and there
are no figures of any kind from which it is possible to deduce
a reliable estimate of the population : the figures given herein
are b
house
relati
estim
has b
villag
per tc
T1
out as
Thi
dated
when
aggera
of theii
Tin
Th<
(1
(2
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