The Economic Situation in the Ottoman Empire in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century
Keywords:
Ottoman Empire, Turks, 19th Century, 20th Century, Turkey, economy, economic developmentAbstract
For the best part of its existence spanning over six centuries, the Ottoman Empire could most aptly be described as bureaucratic and agrarian. The paper analyses its economy, as well as economic institutions and reasons for its longevity. To this end, the author also analyses the economic and political situation in the Empire and its development. Just as it is impossible to speak merely of an all-pervading crisis in the Ottoman economy after the sixteenth century, it would be similarly inappropriate to equate all economic traits in each of the subsequent centuries up to 1922. The survival of the empire, in fact, depended on the central government's pragmatism, flexibility and ability to adapt to constant challenges. The Ottoman governing structures were sufficiently flexible to remain in power even during the transition to a specific capitalist type economy. However, the readiness of the Ottoman state to welcome changes was limited by its defense mechanisms, which tended towards the preservation of the traditional order. A total symbiosis with the new challenges in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries could not therefore be achieved.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).