"The Turkish Experiment with Westernization, II
By Habib Siddiqui
Al-Jazeerah, January 11, 2005
In his letter to the editor Mr. Ahmet Toprak of the San Francisco Turkish Radio (Al-Jazeerah, January 8, 2005) made some observations. Here below are my comments:
During the course of a civilization, its culture is always on a dialogue with others. In fact, that is what enriches any civilization. The Ottoman civilization was no exception to that general principle of enriching itself from the contribution of its subjects, both within and without what comprises today�s Turkey, and outsiders (willing to contribute either voluntarily or for a fee) including the Hungarian canon-maker who volunteered to sell his new invention that would help the Ottoman artillery forces in their conquest of Byzantine Constantinople. However, those exchanges of ideas and materials should not be confused with the activities of the Tanzimat, the latter being a serious commitment by the Ottoman state to reorganize or reform purely on the European line. No time before was that need as acutely felt as it was during Sultan Abdul-Mejid�s reign. Historically, therefore, if there were a single event or ruling that can be credited to westernization of the Ottoman body politic it is that Tanzimat movement that was launched by the Sultan in 1839 (and continue for several decades). The best known of these reforms are Hatt-I Serif of Gulhane (1839) and Hatt-I Humayun (1856). "
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