"That So Fair a Thing Should Be So Frail:" The Ford Foundation and the Failure of Rural Development in Iran, 1953-1964
From 1954 to 1964, the Ford Foundation attempted to implement an ambitious program of rural development in Iran. Through education, grassroots initiatives, and better credit, the Foundation hoped to transform Iran's peasant population into a base around which Iran would become a democracy. Its efforts, however, ultimately proved unsuccessful. This article argues that Ford's initiatives failed in part because its vision for the region was at odds with the goals of American foreign policy, which sought stability instead of democracy.
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 March 2009
The Middle East Institute has published The Middle East Journal quarterly since 1947. The Journal provides original and objective research and analysis, as well as source material, on the area from Morocco to Pakistan. The Journal provides the background necessary for an understanding and appreciation of the region's political and economic development, cultural heritage, ethnic and religious diversity.
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