REFORMS IN SYRIA DURING THE RULE OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

Abstract

This article analyzes the administrative reforms implemented in Syria during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II and examines the despotic nature of the Ottoman government. It explores the issues related to the administrative legacy of the Tanzimat era and its enduring influence on Syria. The paper also discusses the consequences of despotic governance, such as the strengthening of security measures and centralized administration, the pressure exerted on local elites and the population, and the tightening of political and social restrictions. The study emphasizes that the administrative reforms of the Tanzimat period were not abolished during the reign of Abdulhamid II; on the contrary, by the end of the nineteenth century, they had demonstrated their effectiveness.