The Young Turks and the Ottoman nationalities

Abstract

The years 1908 to 1918 are frequently viewed as the period when the Ottoman Empire fell into decline, but in this volume Feroz Ahmad argues that the Empire was not in decline but instead was face to face with the process of decolonization. Its colonies, stimulated by the idea of nationalism, saw the opportunity to liberate themselves, sometimes with the help of the Great Powers of Europe, who in turn saw these rebellions as an opportunity to expand their own empires. The Serbs were the first to rebel and thus launched the process of decolonization and struggle against Ottoman imperialism. After the Serbs, the Greeks rebelled and with European support were able to establish their own state. Setting the stage with this 19th-century background, Ahmad then examines each of the nationalities in a separate chapter, beginning with the restoration of the Ottoman constitution in 1908