Monetization processes and changing societal relations in Bursa, 1739-1842

This thesis examines the deep monetization processes in Bursa between 1739 – 1842. Deep monetization is the process of increased use of small denominations of currency and involvement of a large number of social actors in small change. Deep monetization is not a linear process since the use of small denominations has changed over centuries, even decades. Firstly, the thesis underlines the global monetization processes and their relationship with production relations. On the one hand, British, Dutch, and Indian historiographies demonstrate that the deep monetization processes had socioeconomic effects on the society, which shaped the relations of wage labor, media of exchange, and access to coinage. On the other hand, Ottoman historians only use the concept of monetization as a side explanation to support their arguments regarding social, political, and economic transformation in the Empire. No study in Ottoman historiography directly deals with the concept of monetization. Therefore, monetization appears as a blurred concept in the Ottoman studies. This thesis on deep monetization in the Ottoman Empire focuses on Bursa, one of the central hubs of economic activity and cultural exchange throughout the Ottoman era. This thesis will address the situation of individuals from different social strata as actors of deep monetization processes. The thesis discusses how creditor-debtor relations reflected in probate inventories can be utilized in deep monetization studies. Overall, this thesis provides insights into the complex and dynamic changes that occurred in the Ottoman Empire during 1739-1842 and highlights the importance of deep monetization in the development of modern states and societies.