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[[File:663px-Sultan_Abd%C3%BClmecid_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Sultan Abdülmecid implemented the Tanzimat reforms]] | [[File:663px-Sultan_Abd%C3%BClmecid_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Sultan Abdülmecid implemented the Tanzimat reforms]] | ||
| − | The Tanzimat reforms were carried out between 1830 and 1870 in the Ottoman Empire. They were a wide ranging series of educational, political and economic reforms. They were an attempt at | + | The Tanzimat reforms were carried out between 1830 and 1870 in the Ottoman Empire. They were a wide-ranging series of educational, political and economic reforms. They were an attempt at modernization to stop the decline of Ottoman power. The process of modernization involved adopting models and practices of western countries and societies, and it primarily motivated to compete for western powers and preserve their Empire. |
| − | == | + | The modernization process in the Ottoman Empire was a way of ensuring that they did not become the subjects of the western powers.<ref>Inalcık, H. and Quataert, D. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521343151/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521343151&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=cc66c7ad16506b01ae1292a0e287e33a An Economic and Social History of The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1914]''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994, p. 189.</ref> During the nineteenth century, much of the world became subject to the western powers, especially Britain and France. The Tanzimat reforms were only partially successful and did not halt the Ottoman decline. |
| − | + | ==Why was the Ottoman Empire Declining?== | |
[[File:Kırım_Savaşı,_Türk_piyadeleri_1854_senesi.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Ottoman infantry soldiers]] | [[File:Kırım_Savaşı,_Türk_piyadeleri_1854_senesi.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Ottoman infantry soldiers]] | ||
| − | + | Until the 18th century, the Ottoman Turks were at least as powerful as the great European powers. However, from the mid-1750s, Ottomans power declined, and they could not compete militarily with Russian and the Hapsburg Empire.<ref>Qetvket Pamuk "Institutional Change and the Longevity of the Ottoman Empire, 1500–1800". ''Journal of Interdisciplinary History'', vol xxxv:2, Autumn, 2004, p.247.</ref> In successive conflicts, the armies of the Sultan, once invincible, were consistently defeated and the Empire lost territory. Their Christian adversaries slowly dismembered the Empire and that survival of the empire was threatened.<ref>Parmuk, p. 235.</ref> Just as the Ottoman military power was marginalized, their archaic economic system was becoming less viable. | |
| − | + | The economic system that prevailed in the Empire in 1800 had transformed little since the fifteenth century. The antiquated economy could not compete with the European nations that were being transformed by the industrial revolution. <ref>Inalcık, H. and Quataert, D. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521343151/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521343151&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=cc66c7ad16506b01ae1292a0e287e33a An Economic and Social History of The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1914]''. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 189.</ref> The leaders of the Ottoman recognized that there needed to be an economic revolution accompanied by extensive political and legal reforms. The Sultan and his advisors accepted that the Ottoman Empire had to modernize to survive. | |
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| − | The | ||
| − | + | ==What were the Tanzimat Reforms?== | |
| + | [[File:Thomas_allom,_c1840,_The_Enterance_to_Divan.png|thumbnail|left|250px|Entrance to the Divan Istanbul in the nineteenth century by Thomas Allom]] | ||
| + | The Tanzimat reforms focused heavily on reforming the Ottoman education system. The Islamic Clerics had dominated Ottoman education, but the reforms reduced their influence.<ref>Incalek and Quartet, p. 103.</ref> The Ottoman government created schools and universities based on the western European model. This was designed to allow the Ottomans to run the economy and society in a modern way and develop the technology they needed to develop modern armies and the economy need to sustain such forces. The Tanzimat reforms also provided political changes that were designed to improve the status of the non-Muslim population. They were granted equal status before the law with Muslims for the first time.<ref>Salesman "Celenk Secularization Process in the History of Turkish Education." ''Journal Social Science'', vol 19(2): 2009, p. 101</ref> | ||
| − | + | These reforms sought to secure the allegiance of the diverse ethnic and religious groups of the Empire. The reforms also attempted to restrict the Sultan's power and ensure the rule of law throughout the land. There were even attempts to start a multi-party system. The Ottomans sought to emulate the more advanced western models to enable their society to modernize. The Ottoman government began to centralize authority into its own hands to ensure that the Tanzimat reforms succeeded despite Islamic religious leaders and the majority Muslim population.<ref>Attila Ayetkin, "Peasant Protest in the Late Ottoman Empire: Moral Economy, Revolt, and the Tanzimat Reforms" ''International Review of Social History''. Vol 57, August 2012, pp 191-227</ref> | |
| − | |||
| − | + | ==What were the Economic Changes made under the Tanzimat Reforms?== | |
| + | Muslim economic theories influenced the Ottoman Empire's economy. These favored state intervention, protectionism and frowned upon the profit motive. The Ottoman reformers realized they had to liberalize the economy if they wanted to generate sufficient capital to contend with the European nations. The Tanzimat reforms attempted to introduce a series of economic and financial reforms, including the abolition of guilds, free trade, the right to private property, and a new tax system. Despite the Islamic religious elite denouncing interest payments as Riba or usury, new banks were established since it was contrary to the Koran. The Sultan and his government also moved towards the lifting of barriers on trade and abandoned protectionism. | ||
| − | == | + | To implement their secular projects as part of the Tanzimat Reforms, the Ottoman government established courts that oversaw economic regulation. The Napoleonic Trade Laws were adopted from the 1850s.<ref>Hanioglu, M. Sukru. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0691146179/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0691146179&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=0f59e5dcf94fb5c39ee9efb78a011bf7 A Brief History of the Late Ottoman Empire]'' (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2008), p. 141. </ref> The Islamic courts still issue decrees on Sharia Law, both in urban and tribal areas, but increasingly they were unable to arbitrate in the areas of economic regulation. These changes were all designed to develop the Ottoman Economy. |
| − | The reforms had a real but limited impact on the Ottoman Empire. The education system was completely secularized. A new secular elite was created through | + | |
| + | The changes made were all based on the western model. This shift was partly because the Ottoman Caliph sought to replicate the Western governments' policies to become as powerful as they had in recent decades.<ref>Jason Goodwin, ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312420668/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0312420668&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=dce09584fbe6824c3500d532ee9fd797 Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire]''. (Penguin Books, Hamondsworth,2003, p. 189.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Did the Tanzimat Reforms Fail?== | ||
| + | The reforms had a real but limited impact on the Ottoman Empire. The education system was completely secularized. A new secular elite was created through this new education process in the schools. The economic reforms did change the nature of the Ottoman Economy and ended the religious regulation of the economy. The economic changes also brought a measure of prosperity to its citizens. This result was due to the increase in trade between the Turks and Europe. Because the Turks traded more with Europeans, they now had access to new technologies which helped to modernize the economy. While some Turks benefitted from the reforms, the impact of the reforms was fairly shallow. Still, many Ottomans did not reap any tangible rewards from the Tanzimat reforms. | ||
| + | |||
| + | It should be noted that while Banks were established and modern economic practices were introduced the majority for the population were not impacted upon. The rights of individual citizens were technically improved, but in reality, the Sultan still had almost unlimited power over his subjects. Furthermore, the Sultan remained the absolute rule of the Empire. The reforms had changed the Empire, but it had failed to modernize the realm. The Ottomans had not modernized their country, and they remained behind their European neighbors. Instead, they continued to lose territory in the Balkans to their European neighbors. | ||
==Conclusion== | ==Conclusion== | ||
| − | The Ottoman | + | The Ottoman government was forced to adopt economic reforms to ensure that it had sufficient resources to compete with the western powers. They adopted modernizing and secularizing policies to transform the economy. The reforms were radical and contrary to the Muslim ethos of the Empire and the Islamic scholars. The Ottoman government was able to impose its will on an often reluctant population, as it bid to make the changes necessary to ensure the survival of the Empire. The reform projects were only partially successful as they failed to modernize the realm and ensure its survival beyond World War I. |
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<div class="portal" style="width:85%;"> | <div class="portal" style="width:85%;"> | ||
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| + | ====Related DailyHistory.org Articles==== | ||
*[[How did Medicine develop in the Ancient World?]] | *[[How did Medicine develop in the Ancient World?]] | ||
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*[[Causes of World War II Top Ten Booklist]] | *[[Causes of World War II Top Ten Booklist]] | ||
*[[Gilded Age/Progressive Era History Top Ten Booklist]] | *[[Gilded Age/Progressive Era History Top Ten Booklist]] | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | {{ | + | ====References==== |
| + | <references/> | ||
| + | Updated January 4, 2018 | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Wikis]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Ottoman History]][[Category:19th Century History]][[Category:Economic History]] | ||
| + | {{Contributors}} | ||
Latest revision as of 03:27, 20 September 2021
The Tanzimat reforms were carried out between 1830 and 1870 in the Ottoman Empire. They were a wide-ranging series of educational, political and economic reforms. They were an attempt at modernization to stop the decline of Ottoman power. The process of modernization involved adopting models and practices of western countries and societies, and it primarily motivated to compete for western powers and preserve their Empire.
The modernization process in the Ottoman Empire was a way of ensuring that they did not become the subjects of the western powers.[1] During the nineteenth century, much of the world became subject to the western powers, especially Britain and France. The Tanzimat reforms were only partially successful and did not halt the Ottoman decline.
Why was the Ottoman Empire Declining?
Until the 18th century, the Ottoman Turks were at least as powerful as the great European powers. However, from the mid-1750s, Ottomans power declined, and they could not compete militarily with Russian and the Hapsburg Empire.[2] In successive conflicts, the armies of the Sultan, once invincible, were consistently defeated and the Empire lost territory. Their Christian adversaries slowly dismembered the Empire and that survival of the empire was threatened.[3] Just as the Ottoman military power was marginalized, their archaic economic system was becoming less viable.
The economic system that prevailed in the Empire in 1800 had transformed little since the fifteenth century. The antiquated economy could not compete with the European nations that were being transformed by the industrial revolution. [4] The leaders of the Ottoman recognized that there needed to be an economic revolution accompanied by extensive political and legal reforms. The Sultan and his advisors accepted that the Ottoman Empire had to modernize to survive.
What were the Tanzimat Reforms?
The Tanzimat reforms focused heavily on reforming the Ottoman education system. The Islamic Clerics had dominated Ottoman education, but the reforms reduced their influence.[5] The Ottoman government created schools and universities based on the western European model. This was designed to allow the Ottomans to run the economy and society in a modern way and develop the technology they needed to develop modern armies and the economy need to sustain such forces. The Tanzimat reforms also provided political changes that were designed to improve the status of the non-Muslim population. They were granted equal status before the law with Muslims for the first time.[6]
These reforms sought to secure the allegiance of the diverse ethnic and religious groups of the Empire. The reforms also attempted to restrict the Sultan's power and ensure the rule of law throughout the land. There were even attempts to start a multi-party system. The Ottomans sought to emulate the more advanced western models to enable their society to modernize. The Ottoman government began to centralize authority into its own hands to ensure that the Tanzimat reforms succeeded despite Islamic religious leaders and the majority Muslim population.[7]
What were the Economic Changes made under the Tanzimat Reforms?
Muslim economic theories influenced the Ottoman Empire's economy. These favored state intervention, protectionism and frowned upon the profit motive. The Ottoman reformers realized they had to liberalize the economy if they wanted to generate sufficient capital to contend with the European nations. The Tanzimat reforms attempted to introduce a series of economic and financial reforms, including the abolition of guilds, free trade, the right to private property, and a new tax system. Despite the Islamic religious elite denouncing interest payments as Riba or usury, new banks were established since it was contrary to the Koran. The Sultan and his government also moved towards the lifting of barriers on trade and abandoned protectionism.
To implement their secular projects as part of the Tanzimat Reforms, the Ottoman government established courts that oversaw economic regulation. The Napoleonic Trade Laws were adopted from the 1850s.[8] The Islamic courts still issue decrees on Sharia Law, both in urban and tribal areas, but increasingly they were unable to arbitrate in the areas of economic regulation. These changes were all designed to develop the Ottoman Economy.
The changes made were all based on the western model. This shift was partly because the Ottoman Caliph sought to replicate the Western governments' policies to become as powerful as they had in recent decades.[9]
Did the Tanzimat Reforms Fail?
The reforms had a real but limited impact on the Ottoman Empire. The education system was completely secularized. A new secular elite was created through this new education process in the schools. The economic reforms did change the nature of the Ottoman Economy and ended the religious regulation of the economy. The economic changes also brought a measure of prosperity to its citizens. This result was due to the increase in trade between the Turks and Europe. Because the Turks traded more with Europeans, they now had access to new technologies which helped to modernize the economy. While some Turks benefitted from the reforms, the impact of the reforms was fairly shallow. Still, many Ottomans did not reap any tangible rewards from the Tanzimat reforms.
It should be noted that while Banks were established and modern economic practices were introduced the majority for the population were not impacted upon. The rights of individual citizens were technically improved, but in reality, the Sultan still had almost unlimited power over his subjects. Furthermore, the Sultan remained the absolute rule of the Empire. The reforms had changed the Empire, but it had failed to modernize the realm. The Ottomans had not modernized their country, and they remained behind their European neighbors. Instead, they continued to lose territory in the Balkans to their European neighbors.
Conclusion
The Ottoman government was forced to adopt economic reforms to ensure that it had sufficient resources to compete with the western powers. They adopted modernizing and secularizing policies to transform the economy. The reforms were radical and contrary to the Muslim ethos of the Empire and the Islamic scholars. The Ottoman government was able to impose its will on an often reluctant population, as it bid to make the changes necessary to ensure the survival of the Empire. The reform projects were only partially successful as they failed to modernize the realm and ensure its survival beyond World War I.
Related DailyHistory.org Articles
References
- ↑ Inalcık, H. and Quataert, D. An Economic and Social History of The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1914. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994, p. 189.
- ↑ Qetvket Pamuk "Institutional Change and the Longevity of the Ottoman Empire, 1500–1800". Journal of Interdisciplinary History, vol xxxv:2, Autumn, 2004, p.247.
- ↑ Parmuk, p. 235.
- ↑ Inalcık, H. and Quataert, D. An Economic and Social History of The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1914. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 189.
- ↑ Incalek and Quartet, p. 103.
- ↑ Salesman "Celenk Secularization Process in the History of Turkish Education." Journal Social Science, vol 19(2): 2009, p. 101
- ↑ Attila Ayetkin, "Peasant Protest in the Late Ottoman Empire: Moral Economy, Revolt, and the Tanzimat Reforms" International Review of Social History. Vol 57, August 2012, pp 191-227
- ↑ Hanioglu, M. Sukru. A Brief History of the Late Ottoman Empire (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2008), p. 141.
- ↑ Jason Goodwin, Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire. (Penguin Books, Hamondsworth,2003, p. 189.