Ankara's phantom bourgeoisie in the Late Ottoman and Early Republican Periods

This study focuses on the development and relationship with the state of the Muslim-Turkish commercial bourgeois class in Ankara from the Tanzimat era to the early years of the Republic. In Ottoman and Turkish historiography, it has generally been argued that the bourgeois class developed later than in Europe and that it was created by the state. This vested narrative, which operates on the assumption that capitalists were passive in relation to politics, has pushed class analysis in the formation of the nation-state to the background. Muslim - Turkish merchants were instrumentalized in the creation of a new bourgeois class and used to Turkify the economy during the nation-state phase. Contrary to the general belief, this thesis draws attention to the class dynamics of the Muslim-Turkish bourgeoisie in Ankara, tracing its roots back to the Ottoman era. By examining the family origins, commercial ties, roles in local councils, and class characteristics of some prominent political and economic figures from Ankara, particularly during the first ten years of the Republic, demonstrates that the seeds of this class were sown well before the advent of national economic policies. This study argues that this class, which successfully adapted to each new era, including the Second Constitutional Period, the National Struggle, and the Republic, was not created from scratch but increased its commercial and political influence in conjunction with the implementation of the national economic programs. It is asserted that the commercial bourgeoisie tried to prioritize their class interests with their actions throughout all these periods.