The trends of economic thought in the final period of the Ottoman state (1838-1914)

ABSTRACTThe increase in Europe?s trade with overseas countries as a result ofgeographical discoveries and the consequent flow of precious metals suchas gold and silver into European countries not only provided Europe withwealth but also led to the start of a new system. With the changes inproduction relations, this new system, which has been called ?Mercantilism?since the16th century, also meant a reorganization of the society. Thisreorganization process complying with the requirements of trade lifedamaged the feodal production relations as well as it led to capitalism.Therefore, this process, which started in Europe in 1500s, would the makecommercial capitalism emerge and help the ?wealth? concept, a new kind ofrichness, establish. Nevertheless, because mercantilists accepted the goldand silver savings as the sources of wealth, this new system passed over theEuropean borders and was recognized by the Third World countries as well.This was realized by the new enterprises to find new markets so as toincrease export and then capitalism also started to be exported with the flowof goods to the Third World countries. Similarly, the need for raw material ,resulting from the increase in productivity and forcing the production limits,also increased the tendency towards the Third World countries. The part ofthis process concerning the Ottoman State in the long term, with theemergence of national states and technological advances supported bycapital stock, was the establishment of European based spreadingpolicy,including the Ottoman State. In fact, this development, which could beaccepted as a new start for the world, had a long evolution process. With thesupport of scientific revolution and efforts of the Enlightment Age toreinterpret the world, this process strenghtened its basis and opened a newdoor to spread contemporary thought.As these developments were taking place in the world, Ottoman Statestill had a strict devotion to its normative values rejecting change. It was208interesting that the century in which scientific revolution took place in Europehappened to be the century in which the normative values of the OttomanState started to shake. From the end of the 17th century to the beginning ofthe 19th century, the Ottoman State was between the preservation of thenormative values and change and in the end was captured by the Europeanenlargement policy and this could be considered a new start in the way ofbecoming contemporary.The recognition of modern economy concept in the Ottoman State couldalso be seen in the early years of the 19th century. The British Trade Treatyin 1838 was a turning point in the reconition of the new concepts. This period,in which classical theories had a chance of being applied to some extent,also showed that the first modern economy concept entering the country wasin the frame of these theories. Particularly, the Smithian theory, whichEngland and France tried to establish through their representatives in thecountry and appeared only in practice at first, was studied in terms of itstheorotical background with the start of translation activities as well.However, more significant attempts in this field increased in 1800s. The factthat the books and articles written on this subject were occupying the agendaof the country and meantime the protection method was being presentedscientifically proved that ?serbestii? (the term belonging to that period) ideaswere not actually without alternatives.In agreement with F. List, this viewaccepting the protection method as the only way to industrialize wasdefended with strong bases for a long time, however it was outshone by theliberal applications. When the desired results from these liberal policies couldnot be obtained, accompanied by the destructive results of the Balkan Waras well, a door that the the protection method supporters were waiting forwas opened. Nevertheless, this view gained a new dimension with theinfluence of increasing nationalism trend , affected the policies of the countryafter 1914 with the understanding of ?National Economy? and had anoutstanding influence on the Ottoman State during the final years.