Mohammad Bakhtiari; Hossein Abadian; Shahram Yousefifar
Abstract
During the history of Iran, Kadkhodas as the rulers did play an important role in the administrative structure of villages. This situation and action developed and changed in Qajar ...
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During the history of Iran, Kadkhodas as the rulers did play an important role in the administrative structure of villages. This situation and action developed and changed in Qajar period. In 1906 according to the "Act of Establishing the Provinces and Rulers' Bill", administrating of villages forwarded to Kadkhodas officially. But in 1976 the Kadkhoda position was removed from the Iran's administrative system and "Dehban" or "Village Association" were established instead of it. In this article the situation and social, economic and political basis of Kadkhoda and his administrative action in the rural community of Qajar period will be studied to respond the question of positive and negative function of him for government, landowners and peasants. The method of this article is descriptive-analytical approach according to the available data and documents. The results show that kadkhoda as the chief of Deh was the highest administrative post of village in rural society of Qajar period; and communications between governmental authorities and absent landowners with rural and vice versa was made with his mediations. Depending on various factors such as power and influence of landowner and other authorities, obedience or obstinacy of subordinates, influence, and personal and moral characteristics, Kadkhoda was either a flatterer of government who would cause misery for peasants by gathering numerous taxes, or a protector against abuse of other administrators who attended peasants problems and their welfare.
