Different Culture of Muslim World

Today’s installment concludes The Turkish Revolution of 1908,
the name of our combined selection from Edwin Pears, A. Rustem Bey, and Arminius Vambery. The concluding installment, by Arminius Vambery from Article in The Great Events by Famous Historians, Vol. 20, was published in 1914.

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Previously in The Turkish Revolution of 1908.

Time: 1908
Place: Istanbul

Unfortunately, the proper and just appreciation of the real state of affairs in Turkey has always been checked partly by ignorance , partly by a preconceived notion , tending to show that we Europeans are the sole chosen people for progress and civilization, and that the man in Asia will be always prevented by climate, religion, and racial peculiarities from attaining that degree of culture on which we pride ourselves today. Ideas like these have found expression in the writings of eminent English scholars and politicians, and even the regenerator of Modern Egypt, whose high capacities are justly admired by everybody, is a skeptic on this question. Without trespassing beyond the limits of modesty, I beg leave to say, Anch ‘ io son pittore — 1, too, have seen something of the Near East, and as my fifty-two years of intimate connection with various nations of the Muslim world have given me an insight into the social, moral, and political conditions of the Near East, I can not help saying, the aforesaid disparaging criticism is certainly wrong. Turkey is decidedly on the path of progress, many features of her national characteristics have changed and are continually changing; but similar observations can be only made after a careful comparison between Turkey half a century ago and Turkey of today. When, fifty-two years ago, living in a Turkish family as a teacher, I tried to explain natural phenomena in accordance with the laws of physics, which, of course, ran against the superstitious notions of my pupils, I was derided and persecuted. Foreign languages were at that time hardly taught; girls grew up without any instruction at all; and even leading statesmen were utterly ignorant of the geography and history of their own country, not to mention that of the Western world. If we look at Turkey of today we shall be surprised at the great advance in the field of public instruction and the steadily spreading enlightenment. Not only central places, but even small towns have got their Rushdie and Idadie (normal and middle) schools, where modern sciences and European languages are freely taught and the younger generation of Turkish society is brought up in a way which will forcibly strike the unbiased European visitor.

The spiritual progress is particularly reflected by the simplification of the language and by the extraordinary innovations in the field of literature. The modern Turkish writer has divested himself of the bombastic Asiatic phraseology and of the sickening poetical metaphors. He imitates the French and English authors, whose standard works are steadily being translated into Turkish; his muse begins to be more Western than Eastern; and even in the field of exact sciences there are Turks who have gained distinction, and among other in stances I may quote the fact that parts of the Hedjaz railway were constructed by Turkish engineers. The consequence of these and many other signs of progress manifests itself in the entire change of views and ideas. Hundreds, nay thousands, of the younger Turkish generation of today have thoroughly imbibed the political and social tendencies of the West; they cannot be looked upon any longer as Asiatics, but as Europeans, and as modern Europeans, who naturally found themselves strangers in Turkey under the Hamidian rule, and who had to break the fetters in spite of the despotic form of government.

If the Ottoman Empire were out of the way, and not in close proximity to Europe, we might well look with calm indifference upon her struggle and her future. But unfortunately, this is not the case. Many European vital interests, political and material, are strictly interwoven with the destinies of the near East, and the slightest shock in Turkey makes itself felt even in the remotest part of Europe. It is for this reason that every friend of the peace and tranquility of our world must support and encourage the Turk in his present efforts toward civilization and in his arduous task to heal the wounds of the unfortunate régime of the past thirty-two years. Nobody will deny that the Young Turkey party has shown so far great moderation and wisdom in all its doings, and there has hitherto been no revolutionary movement in the world which went off without any vindictive act and without feelings of revenge against the criminal tyrannical power overthrown. Young Turkey has, therefore, full right to claim our assistance in its need and our indulgence toward the unavoidable mistakes. Judging the present situation in Turkey from this point of view, the recent political changes in the Balkans are much to be regretted, for they augment the troubles in store for the reformers, they discredit the at the head of affairs, for they will be accused of having precipitated the country into a danger which the former, although detested, reign has wisely avoided. Austria-Hungary, which has bestowed so many blessings upon the occupied provinces, raising them from dire anarchy and misrule to flourishing conditions, might have assisted the consolidation of the new rule in Turkey and encouraged the new men in power by postponing the act of annexation for a year or two, as from such an indulgence very little or no injury might have accrued to the policy of the Dual Monarchy, whose strong position cannot be shaken by the plots and vaporings of the minor Balkan countries. If the European Powers are earnestly bent upon the avoidance of troubles in the Near East, and if they have sincerely made up their mind to assist the process of revival and invigoration of Turkey, then they must give a trial, and a fair trial, to the Young Turkey party. They must forget the old animosities and rivalry, and, reflecting upon the immeasurable calamity and disaster resulting from an utter collapse in Turkey, they will obviously understand the necessity of sincerely supporting the new régime in Turkey as the only means for a restoration of order and as the bulwark against the threatening danger of a great European war.

This ends our selections on The Turkish Revolution of 1908 by three of the most important authorities on this topic:

• Turkey in Revolution by Edwin Pears.
• Ministerial Address by A. Rustem Bey.
• Article in The Great Events by Famous Historians, Vol. 20 by Arminius Vambery published in 1914.

Edwin Pears begins here. A. Rustem Bey begins here. Arminius Vambery begins here.

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