national health and modernization programs in iran (1870-1970)

In research on the history of modernization in iran, less attention hasbeen paid to national health and modernization programs. the mainquestion is why national health has had a key role in iran’s modernizationprograms. the central perspective of the iranian elites from the qajarera was that the path toward a healthy, modern, and peaceful societyand pass of pandemics would begin with improvements in hygienic conditions.from their point of view, raising a healthy generation would leadto a change in people’s opinions. findings indicate that health programswere at the top of reformations and modernization in iran, which consideredhealth and peace the prerequisite of a strong society. research in allof the manifestos of modernization from the “counte’s law to the whiterevolution” shows that national hygiene played a key role. based onthis necessity, considering public health and social insurance as essentialprinciples was adopted in the constitution of the islamic republicof iran. this article is qualitative in terms of explanatory methods andbased on library resources and documents.