    51

    In 1951, the fiery premier began his nationalization of oil.  The

    result was a disaster.  At least it would have been a disaster...if all the

    Iranians cared about was food, shelter and clothing.  Britain closed

    down the refineries.  Vast numbers of British Iranian Petroleum

    Company employees were thrown out of work.  Tribal chiefs

    accustomed to living off of oil royalties went empty-handed.

    Mosaddeq's administration was starved for lack of cash.  Government

    employees went from week to week without pay.  The Iranian

    economy became a basket-case.151

    But the Iranians did not complain.  Why?  The feeling of power

    was worth the price.  Pecking order pleasure centers reveled in

    bringing down those on high.

    The Iranian euphoria was not to last.  Both America and Britain

    were worried about the loss of this valuable piece of real estate.  With

    British encouragement, the CIA arranged Mosaddeq's overthrow.152

    The Shah returned, more beholden to America than ever.  And the

    oilfields went back to the foreigners.  But the Iranians never forgot their

    moment of pecking order triumph.

    Iran did very well under American tutelage.  Poverty plunged.

    Education and health care spread through the land.  Women gained

    new freedoms.  And the standard of living skyrocketed.153  American

    policymakers were proud of their accomplishments.  By the measure of

    food, clothing and shelter, the U.S. had helped Iran accomplish

    miracles.  But both our State Department and the Shah had forgotten

    that pride, dignity and dominance--the needs of the pecking order

    impulse--are far more pressing than the demands of the body.

    In 1972, after 31 years in power, the Shah at last felt that his

    people had attained happiness. He decided to celebrate by throwing

    himself a party.  The monarch invited 68 kings and heads of state,154

    housed his guests in air-conditioned, silk-lined tents complete with

    living room, bedroom and kitchen, and fed them mountains of caviar

    and food prepared by chefs flown in from the world's most expensive

    restaurants.155  He presided over a military parade in which his troops

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