^{#smrgKİTABEVİ} Ottoman Reforms and Social Life : Reflections From Salonica (1830 - 1850) - 2003

Most writings on the Tanzimat still start with the state-centred approch of setting out the reforms and end by discussing the way in which they were implemented in society. In this book I argue that the central government intiated the reforms based upon observation of the gradual -in the nineteenth century, increasignly rapid- socio-economic transformation of Ottoman society. The state not only successfully observed the changes and seized the ongoing opportunities, but also made necessary responses and set the context form reform at a general state level. Also, by accepting that society has always been changing to some degree, I contend that the idea of reform was not imported from the outside and alien to the Ottoman Empire at all. The intensification and importance of nineetenth century reforms should be taken into account as a paralel development in any survey of changes in society.

This study should not be viewed as being fully applicable to the rest internal conditions of a vast Empire by doing local studies to complete the picture. (From preface)