Comparative analysis of Ottoman and Chinese Empires' collapse and transition to Republic

The Ottoman Empire and the Chinese Empire are known as two of the most powerful empires in human history. In the 19th century, these two vast empires lost their former powers and bowed to western imperialistic ambitions. In this period, Ottoman Turkey and China reacted similarly toward the new world powers and tried various reforms in order to survive. However, despite of their efforts, their historical imperial life was put to an end and each established a republic in the early 20th century. In this study, firstly, there is an attempt to analyze separately the Ottoman Empire's and the Chinese Empire's collapse period, followed by a comparative analysis of the two empires' similarities and differences, explaining how, despite of the geographical distance and different ideologies, both empires shared the same fate in the end. This thesis includes the introduction, a main body of three chapters and the conclusion. The introduction gives general information about the subject. In the first chapter, the study focuses on the state of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century and describes its struggles against western imperialism, as well as its reform efforts in order to survive, and finally its evolution into the Republic of Turkey. The second chapter of the study describes the overall situation in the Chinese Empire in the 19th century, its struggles against colonialism and modernization efforts in order to maintain its feudal regime. Furthermore, it discusses the passage from empire to republic. The last chapter compares the two empires' collapse and transition process to a republic during the 19th century, explaining the similarities and the differences occurred during these periods. In the conclusion, there is an overall evaluation of the topic and the sources used for research. Key Words: Ottoman Empire, Chinese Empire, Republic, İmperialism, Modernization