The Role of Ottoman Sultans’ Reform and Modernization Policies in the Collapse of the Empire

Abstract

This study examines the impact of reform and modernization policies implemented by Ottoman sultans on the eventual collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The research is grounded in the historical paradox whereby ostensibly progressive reforms coincided with heightened internal instability and increasing dependence on external powers. The principal objective is to determine whether these reforms constituted genuine processes of modernization or whether they contributed to the structural weakening of the Empire. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative historical-analytical approach, drawing upon a multi-theoretical framework that incorporates modernization theory, dependency theory, cultural hegemony, and underdevelopment theory. The analysis demonstrates that although the reforms introduced administrative innovations and legal restructuring, they failed to produce sustainable socio-economic transformation or secure national autonomy. The findings indicate a growing reliance on Western institutional models, which undermined internal cohesion and ultimately accelerated the Empire’s decline. The study concludes that reform, when pursued without systemic independence, may reinforce structural dependency rather than generate institutional resilience. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of semi-peripheral modernization processes and their implications for state stability and political collapse.