The Dar al-Fonun School and Its Political Impact in Iran (1851–1925)

Abstract

Abstract:
      The establishment of the Dar al-Fonun School in 1851 marked a significant event and a major turning point in Iran’s educational system, culture, and political awareness. As the first modern educational institution—and essentially the first university in Iran—the school successfully prepared an informed and cultured elite who later managed the country’s affairs and institutions according to the modern methods practiced in European countries. These individuals became influential figures in Iranian society, adopting progressive political ideas opposed to Qajar despotism. They played a major role in raising awareness among various segments of Iranian society, being more cognizant of the nation’s political and social conditions than other classes due to their exposure to the political systems, reforms, and laws of European states. They had also studied works on the history of the French Revolution and other writings imbued with progressive, liberating ideas.