2026-06-27 –, Room 201 (Seats 42)
Economic crisis management is a critical governmental strategy during periods of profound upheaval, such as the Second World War. Under such extreme conditions, states that implement timely and appropriate policies can mitigate the severity of crises and limit the expansion of their negative repercussions across economic, social, and political spheres.
As a global conflict, World War II exerted influence on all nations—whether belligerent, occupied, or neutral. Consequently, a comparative examination of the diverse crisis-management measures adopted by governments worldwide during this tumultuous period constitutes a foundational area of historical inquiry. Certain policies, such as rationing, proved effective in specific national contexts, successfully stabilizing situations and preventing further deterioration (the United Kingdom serves as a notable example). In other national settings, however, identical or similar policies not only failed to resolve the crises but exacerbated existing economic and social distress.
Focusing on Iran as a case study during World War II, this research seeks to address the following questions:
- What specific economic policies and measures were employed by successive Iranian governments to control the crisis during the war?
- How did the implementation of these measures ultimately influence the trajectory and outcome of crisis management efforts in Iran?
The central hypothesis of this study posits that the key interventionist policies enacted by the Iranian state—including:
· The rationing of essential commodities
· The establishment of state monopolies over foreign trade
· Specific fiscal and taxation measures
· The expansion of the money supply (issuance of banknotes)
· Legislation against hoarding and smuggling
—collectively failed to produce a stabilizing effect on Iran's wartime economy. Instead, it is argued that these measures contributed significantly to inflationary pressures, acute commodity shortages, price hyperinflation, and, in certain regions and periods, conditions of famine.
Economic Crisis Management, World War II, Iran, Government Intervention, Rationing, State Monopoly, Inflation, Wartime Economy, Hoarding, Smuggling, Economic Policy, Historical Analysis
Marziye Mansoury is a Ph.D. Candidate in History at Alzahra University, specializing in the social and economic history of contemporary Iran. Her doctoral research, "Management of the Economic Crisis in Iran Between 1941-1961," examines economic policymaking during the Allied occupation and early Pahlavi era, employing archival documents, oral histories, and economic analysis to explore state-society relations amid global disruptions.
Her scholarly work focuses on global commodity crises, wartime economies, and the socio-economic impacts of foreign intervention in 20th-century Iran. She has published peer-reviewed articles in prominent journals such as the Journal of Historical Researches and Socio-Economic History Studies, analyzing state monopoly policies and their role in exacerbating shortages and fostering rent-seeking during World War II.
In addition to her research, Mansoury serves as Managing Editor of the Peer-Reviewed Academic Journal of Economic History Studies and Executive Director of the International Relations Committee at the Iranian History Association, where she fosters global academic collaborations. Her work bridges Iranian economic history with broader global patterns, offering insights into crisis management in neutral nations during conflicts.