Rules, Contracts and Law Enforcement in the Ottoman Empire: The Case of Tax-Farming Contracts (Palgrave Studies in Institutions, Economics and Law)

This book examines the role of institutions and law on the economic performance of the Ottoman Empire between 1500 and 1800. By focussing on the pre-industrial period, the transition to industrialisation and the mechanisms behind it can be explored. Particular attention is given to the allocation of financial resources towards more productive and efficient economic activities and the role this played in economic divergence among societies. A comparative analysis with European societies highlights the importance of non-economic institutions during the pre-industrial period. This book aims to provide new analytical perspectives and ways of thinking about how the Ottoman Empire lost its powerful economic and political structures. It is relevant to students and researchers interested in economic history, law and economics, and the political economy. Bora Altay is an Economist at the Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Turkey. Fuat Oğuz is Professor of Economics at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Turkey. . This book examines the role of institutions and law on the economic performance of the Ottoman Empire between 1500 and 1800. By focussing on the pre-industrial period, the transition to industrialisation and the mechanisms behind it can be explored. Particular attention is given to the allocation of financial resources towards more productive and efficient economic activities and the role this played in economic divergence among societies. A comparative analysis with European societies highlights the importance of non-economic institutions during the pre-industrial period. This book aims to provide new analytical perspectives and ways of thinking about how the Ottoman Empire lost its powerful economic and political structures. It is relevant to students and researchers interested in economic history, law and economics, and the political economy. Bora Altay is an Economist at the Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Turkey. Fuat Oğuz is Professor of Economics at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Turkey. . "This book examines the role of institutions and law on the economic performance of the Ottoman Empire between 1500 and 1800. By focussing on the pre-industrial period, the transition to industrialisation and the mechanisms behind it can be explored. Particular attention is given to the allocation of financial resources towards more productive and efficient economic activities and the role this played in economic divergence among societies. A comparative analysis with European societies highlights the importance of non-economic institutions during the pre-industrial period. This book aims to provide new analytical perspectives and ways of thinking about how the Ottoman Empire lost its powerful economic and political structures. It is relevant to students and researchers interested in economic history, law and economics, and the political economy"-- Provided by publisher Contents 6 List of Figures 7 List of Tables 8 1 Introduction 9 References 18 2 The Rule of Law and Role of Institutions in the Historical Context 19 References 29 3 The Relevance of the Rule of Law to the Ottoman Institutions: Historical Background 32 References 41 4 Place of Tax-Farming Institutions in the Ottoman Economy 43 References 59 5 Legal-Economic Structure of Tax-Farming Contracts 62 References 80 6 Analysis of Tax-Farming Contracts 81 Causes and Consequences: Interactions Among Contracting Parties 88 References 92 7 Prisoner’s Dilemma as a Tool to Analyze Tax-Farming Institutions 94 References 107 8 An Assessment Over Previous Chapters and Concluding Remarks 109 Index 115