War and Revolution in Asiatic Russia
by race questions, though the results have been different. Both countries contain two races living side by side, one a settled, and the other a nomad population. What the Khurds in the upper Tigris valley are to the Armenians, the Lurs and Bakhtiaris on the edge of the Iranian table-land are to the Persians of the oases. But while in Armenia the nomad and settled populations maintain each its separate existence, in Persia there is continually going on a fusion of the one type with the other. The mountain tribes are constantly descending and raiding the plain; but instead of being resisted, as in Armenia, numbers of them adopt Persian customs and culture, and finally become absorbed as natives of the oasis. The Armenian climate on the other hand creates a stubborn people, that resists nomad invasions; hence the continual conflict between Khurd and Armenian, and the sufferings of the settled population. But living in the luxury of the oases, the Persian has lost all desire to fight invaders: he welcomes all, and conquers them by other means than force. The atmosphere of the isolated bazaar-town, with its cool Mosques and dignified Madrasas, calls forth the spirit of compromise in dealing with hungry tribes camped outside the gate. In Persia there has never been a government in the European sense of the word. Some tribal chief among the nomads, or some caravan-thief, collects followers and proclaims himself governor of a province. He becomes governor and perhaps Shah, and founds a dynasty. The people of the oases submit, and go on with their fruit-growing and mysticism. The Persian is always being conquered by the sword, but in turn always subdues the conqueror by his intellect.
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