Rethinking Top-Down Revolutions: A Comparison of the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia

Ahmet Aykut Altay and Gökhan Çelen

Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, 2025, vol. 27, issue 4, 576-593

Abstract: This study seeks to investigate and compare the characteristics and outcomes of top-down revolutions in Prussia and the Ottoman Empire. Top-down revolutions are distinguished by extensive social and economic transformations that do not lead to the displacement of the ruling classes. As case studies, we examine the Ottoman Empire, which was characterized by a dysfunctional parliamentary monarchy and an underdeveloped state, and Prussia, an industrialized kingdom with a functioning parliamentary monarchy. The research examines revolutionary processes and class relations and concludes that the outcome and success of top-down revolutions are influenced by geographical size, political structure, economic understanding, and class formations. The study classifies top-down revolutions as either progressive or regressive based on these criteria.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/19448953.2024.2414165

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