Discussions on the sosyo-economic system of the Ottoman State: A comparative analysis special of Sabri Ülgener and Niyazi Berkes

This study aims to examine the socio-economic structure of the Ottoman Empire. In this direction, the focus is on feudalism-capitalism discussions within the framework of the works of Niyazi Berkes and Sabri Fehmi Ülgener. While Berkes argues that the Ottoman system can be described as neither feudalist nor capitalist, but rather than as a despotic character, it's seen that Ülgener defends the view that the Ottoman Empire could not make the transition to capitalism under the influence of the Sufi mentality. The main claim of this study is that the socio-economic structure of the Ottoman Empire cannot be fully characterized as feudal, capitalist and despotic, but can be defined as a unique system. Because although the peasants in the Ottoman society and the serfs in the feudal system have similar characteristics, it can be said that there is no similarity between the local administrator, the timar lord and the feudal lord. While the feudal lord was based on a contract, there was no land ownership because the timar lord worked as an official of the state. Because the concept of ownership is the most important road separation that provides difference and similarity between production systems. While the feudal lord exercised jurisdiction, the fief lord did not. From this point of view, it can be said that the Ottoman socio-economic structure diverged from the feudal system. It can also be argued that the Ottomans did not have a capitalist production structure. The state order of the Ottomans had a structure that would not allow the emergence of an economically powerful and influential class. This situation prevented the accumulation of capital in private hands. In addition, the ownership of the factors of production in the Ottoman Empire was not in the hands of the private sector. In this respect, it can be said that the socio-economic structure of the Ottoman Empire was not similar to feudalism or capitalism and that it had a unique structure.