The Ottoman State's Efforts to Abolish the Capitulation System

Abstract

The capitulations granted by the Ottoman Empire to European powers were initially temporary privileges bestowed by the Ottoman Sultans, which expired upon the Sultan's death or abdication. However, over time, European states exploited the capitulatory system as a pretext for interfering in the internal affairs of the Ottoman Empire. These privileges formed part of a colonial scheme among European powers, serving as a means to impose their colonial influence and effectively becoming the gateway for European infiltration into the Ottoman state. Under these capitulations, European powers established a parallel administration within the Ottoman government, effectively creating a state within a state. Simultaneously, the ambassadors of these nations in Istanbul became de facto partners in the Ottoman Empire's political, economic, and military decision-making processes. Consequently, these privileges ultimately devastated the Ottoman economy by undermining its fiscal system, which was designed to protect both domestic and foreign trade from foreign competition. Therefore, upon recognizing the dangers of the capitulatory regime, the Ottoman Empire initiated several attempts to abolish it.