Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2012
Abstract
New technologies have not always been greeted with full enthusiasm. Although the Ottomans were quick to adopt advancements in military technology, they waited almost three centuries to sanction printing in Ottoman Turkish (in Arabic characters). Printing spread relatively rapidly throughout Europe following the invention of the printing press in 1450 despite resistance by interest groups and temporary restrictions in some countries. We explain differential reaction to technology through a political economy approach centered on the legitimizing relationships between rulers and their agents (e.g., military, religious, or secular authorities). The Ottomans regulated the printing press heavily to prevent the loss it would have caused to the ruler’s net revenue by undermining the legitimacy provided by religious authorities. On the other hand, the legitimizing relationship between European religious and political authorities was undermined over a century prior to the invention of the press. European rulers thus had little reason to stop the spread of printing as public policy, nor could the Church have stopped it had it wanted to. The Ottomans eventually sanctioned printing in Arabic script in the 18th century after alternative sources of legitimacy emerged.
Recommended Citation
Coşgel, Metin M., Thomas J. Miceli, and Jared Rubin. "The political economy of mass printing: Legitimacy and technological change in the Ottoman Empire." Journal of Comparative Economics 40.3 (2012): 357-371
DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2012.01.002
Peer Reviewed
1
Copyright
Elsevier
Included in
Islamic World and Near East History Commons, Political History Commons, Science and Technology Studies Commons
Comments
NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Journal of Comparative Economics. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Journal of Comparative Economics, volume 40, issue 3, in 2012. DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2012.01.002