Rise of the Bourgeoisie, Demise of Empire

Rise of the Bourgeoisie, Demise of Empire examines the process of Westernization and social change during the 18th and 19th centuries in the Ottoman Empire. Based on empirical analysis of archival documents and historical chronicles, the book questions the prevailing scholarly interpretation that Westernization leads to social change. Rather, it argues that social change precedes and contributes to the process of Westernization.