The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1963, Síða 36

34
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SUMMER 1963
source, carries with it a threat to that
heritage.
In fairness, it must be said that it is
more difficult for both foreigners and
Iranians to preserve the heritage than
to discard it. The foreigner tends to
visualize development in the image
of his own country. The Iranian tends
to either preserve the heritage and re-
sist development or operate much as
a foreigner.
The United Nations, through its
various organizations, appears to be
accomplishing something towards the
desired approach. My impression of
the Food and Agriculture Organiza-
tion, with which I am most familiar,
was that its work would result in the
kind of change which is acceptable to
the Iranians.
That changes are taking place and
will continue to take place is the one
certainty in Iran, and these are drastic
and more rapid than is easily conceiv-
able. Reza Shah, who reigned from
1925 to 1941, was a man who believed
that change was necessary and he made
it acceptble to the nation through ex-
ample. Among other things he built
the Trans-Iranian railroad; not by
plan, but because he believed it was
good for him and for his nation, and
so it was.
After the war, an organization call-
ed Plan Organization was established
to try to implement a programme for
orderly economic development.
In 1959, Ford Foundation agreed to
provide a staff of economic advisors
from all parts of the western world,
under the management of Harvard
University, to assist this Organization
in the preparation of its Third Plan,
ithe most comprehensive to date. It
was as a member of this team that I
went to Iran in the last stages of the
preparation of the Third Plan.
Each member of this team acted as
an advisor to three or four Iranians
who were responsible for planning
the development of the various sectors
of the economy; i.e. agriculture, ind-
ustry, etc.
As one of two advisors in agriculture,
I had the opportunity to know my
Iranian colleagues. They were, with
few exceptions, well trained, capable
people, in whose hands rests the future
of their country.
The Third Plan went into effect in
September, 1962, shortly after the team
had departed. The policies and pro-
grammes instituted during the next
four years will probably be difficult
to recognize as parts of the Plan. But
change there will be.
No attempt has been made to write
a treatise on economic development.
As was implied earlier in this article,
it is not possible to describe accurately,
in less than several volumes, what is
happening in Iran today. Nor have I
attempted any anthropological obser-
vations on the various ethnic groups
which constitute the nation. There are
many learned works on all these sub-
jects.
It may seem to some of my readers
that I have given an overoptimistic
view; or that I have neglected to discuss
the less desirable aspects of Iran and
its people. To be sure, there were
times of distress and frustration. And
there are many pitfalls ahead. Such is
the human enterprise. But I firmly
believe that Iran possesses everything
necessary for economic development,
including the willingness to allow it
to happen.
The extent of the contribution made
by the team of adviors of which I was
a member is probably not measureable
and certainly not for me to judge.
The worth of the experience to me,
personally, is substantial; the opportun-
ity for which I am deeply grateful.