How Did Ottoman, Egyptian And Persian Empires Change During The 19th Century?
During the 19th century, the Middle East region was going through drastic changes to try and contend with European forces. This essay compares the Ottoman, Egyptian and Persian empires during the 19th century. Modernisation was not only industrial but also economic, socio-political and cultural development with Egypt receiving greatest success however each empire saw steep decline by the end of the 19th century. The modernization of Egypt began in the 19th century with the period beginning in 1805 under the rule of the Muhammad Ali and his dynasty; this period resulted in dramatic change in terms of both economic and social. Muhammad Ali first came to power in Egypt when he became its Wali in 1805, after the conflict between the Mamlucks and
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Ali was able to improve the Egyptian army, through educating the newly recruited soldiers who were usually peasants. Ali also improved health conditions by establishing new clinics and other health facilities as well as continuing Napoleon's policies to improve water sanitation. Through this period Ali’s interest and eagerness to adopt European knowledge is well documented in as he employed engineers, counselors, and military officers from European countries and imported Western technology in order to bring about an industrialized nation. Ali was able only able to implement these reforms due to an increase in revenue streams that he acquired through reformation taxation on agriculture. The taxation makes life almost impossible: a tax on every crop, on every animal first, and again when it is sold in the market; on every man, on charcoal, on butter, on salt. ... The people in Upper Egypt are running away by wholesale, utterly unable to pay the new taxes and do the work exacted. Even here (Cairo) the beating for the years taxes is awful." Alli land reforms required farmers to sell their goods to the government and then the state resold these good to both the domestic and foreign market. This allowed the state to keep the profits. Egypt also benefitted from the high demand for their cotton by the British. During this period cotton prices rose dramatically as the American civil war reduced cotton supply around the
Ali was able to improve the Egyptian army, through educating the newly recruited soldiers who were usually peasants. Ali also improved health conditions by establishing new clinics and other health facilities as well as continuing Napoleon's policies to improve water sanitation. Through this period Ali’s interest and eagerness to adopt European knowledge is well documented in as he employed engineers, counselors, and military officers from European countries and imported Western technology in order to bring about an industrialized nation. Ali was able only able to implement these reforms due to an increase in revenue streams that he acquired through reformation taxation on agriculture. The taxation makes life almost impossible: a tax on every crop, on every animal first, and again when it is sold in the market; on every man, on charcoal, on butter, on salt. ... The people in Upper Egypt are running away by wholesale, utterly unable to pay the new taxes and do the work exacted. Even here (Cairo) the beating for the years taxes is awful." Alli land reforms required farmers to sell their goods to the government and then the state resold these good to both the domestic and foreign market. This allowed the state to keep the profits. Egypt also benefitted from the high demand for their cotton by the British. During this period cotton prices rose dramatically as the American civil war reduced cotton supply around the