The political economy of mass printing: Legitimacy and technological change in the Ottoman Empire

Metin Cosgel (), Thomas J. Miceli and Jared Rubin

Journal of Comparative Economics, 2012, vol. 40, issue 3, 357-371

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.

Keywords: Ottoman Empire; Printing press; Technology adoption; Legitimacy; Military technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N34 N35 N44 N45 N74 N75 O33 O38 P48 P50 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (47)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The Political Economy of Mass Printing: Legitimacy and Technological Change in the Ottoman Empire (2012)
Working Paper: Guns and Books: Legitimacy, Revolt and Technological Change in the Ottoman Empire (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:40:y:2012:i:3:p:357-371

DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2012.01.002

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