Capitulations at the Treaty of Lausanne
The word 'capitulation' usually refers to
a country granting various concessions and privileges to the citizens and
consulates of another country on her lands, which might be financial,
commercial, legal, administrative, etc.
When the
Ottoman Empire began to give these concessions to the European states and their
citizens in the 16th century, the circumstances and the purpose were
different. The Empire was on the rise; it was believed that such privileges,
granted in line with the circumstances of the time, would contribute to the
economy. The Empire failed to see the repercussions of this risky move.
Capitulations were first given to
Venetians during the reign of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, then to the French
during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, followed by other states,
most notably Britain. In the beginning, the capitulations were limited to the
lifespan of the Sultans who granted them, but with an agreement signed with
France in 1740, became permanent. After this date, capitulations granted to the
great powers, most notably Britain, created severe issues in the Ottoman
economy, industry, and justice system, among others. Over time, commercial and
legal privileges increased and caused major problems in the 19th
century. While in the beginning, the privileges were unilateral and served the
interests of the Ottoman Empire, they later completely changed into a system
where some rights of the Ottoman Empire were entrusted to foreign states
through bilateral agreements.
The
British deep state led the others in managing and controlling these privileges,
sometimes explicitly and sometimes behind closed doors.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder