How Did The Ottoman Empire Fail

The Ottoman Empire, one of the most well-known and powerful Islamic empires throughout history of humanity, it had control over several regions worldwide such as in Southeast Europe, North Africa and the Middle-East. It followed a dynastic monarchy rule in which it had a Sultan as ruler and absolute authority over the state, the empires main capital city was Constantinople (Present day Istanbul). The empire spanned a period of over 600 years from 1299 till 1923. However, the Ottoman Empire like other major empires throughout history, had a period in which it started to decline in power and in influence until it inevitably perished and was wiped out off the world’s map. It is argued that the empires strength truly has begun to decline

As the society was dominantly mainly agriculture, the failure to move on with the development of the rest of the world is ultimately what led to its failure as a state. Since when the rest of the world was moving more towards industrialization and development, the ottomans remained at their area of comfort and remained an mainly agricultural society with the lack of industrialization and failed to adapt as other European nations, making it weaker and prone to other countries as it lacked in that area severely, focusing on agriculture rather than manufacture . The ottomans also have sought “military expansion as their own source of wealth mainly acquiring booty and riches from wars”, and while others moved towards a more capitalist approach, the ottomans remained with its old style of acquiring land and having a monopoly themed style on lands nearby as well as lands it owned. (Shaw. 7,38). Also, the expenditure of the empire is another factor that contributed to its demise, add to the cost of the empire’s army, it cost a fortune to manage the arm, equip them with the latest equipment, train them efficiently and having them going into war campaigns. Furthermore, in the late 18th century, contrary to previous centuries, the empire focused on spending hefty on the society rather than solely on the military, it is in this decade

The ottoman empire has begun to slowly disassemble within itself, for instance the religious sanction of the administration was getting corrupt, religious leaders and scholars denied and discouraged enlightenment and all that falls beneath it, be it creativity, development, thinking and being more open and free, often using Fatwas that they associated with God in hopes to force the sultan to back down from his decisions, which surprisingly worked. All of this in hopes of keeping their places as shot callers and important members of the ottoman empire. This wasn’t restricted to religious leaders only, on the contrary, elites of the military forces also often opposed and tried to steer the sultans decisions in another direction that would be favorable to them, instead of actually benefiting the society and progressing it, this lust for power and this greed for being a powerful member of the society and having influence is really what destroyed the empire from within its inner self in my opinion as it delayed, if not even stopped, development and modernization. Add to that the fact that the Sultan often removed and changed his Grand Vizier constantly throughout the year in order to prevent a betrayal and coup, further indulged the empire in instabilities due to the heads of the state themselves not being stable within the government