Amir-Abbas Hoveyda and the centralized power of the Pahlavi era

Reflections on the political career of Amir-Abbas Hoveyda, the former Prime Minister during the Pahlavi era, highlight the centralized nature of power in autocratic systems. Hoveyda once noted in an interview with Time magazine that while Western nations engage in lengthy parliamentary debates for minor decisions, in Iran, officials simply sought the Shah's opinion, which was regarded as the ultimate solution.

Despite his long tenure as Prime Minister, Hoveyda operated within a system where all decisions revolved around a single individual. Following the Iranian Revolution and the collapse of the monarchy, Hoveyda was tried by a revolutionary court and executed.