Ottoman Manufacturing in the Age of the Industrial Revolution

This book uncovers the rich, fascinating and complex world of Ottoman manufacturing and manufacturers in the age of the European industrial revolution. Using a wealth of sources from Ottoman, European and American archives, Professor Donald Quataert explores the technological methods of producing cotton cloth, wool cloth, yarn and silk, how these changed throughout the nineteenth century, the organisation of home and workshop production and trends in the domestic and international markets. By focusing on textile manufacturing in homes and small workshops, the author reveals a dynamism that refutes traditional notions of a declining economy in the face of European expansion. He shows how manufacturers adopted a variety of strategies, such as reduced wages and low technology inputs, to confront European competitors, protect their livelihoods and retain domestic and international customers.

Review: "As a study that presents a wealth of information about a little-studied aspect of manufacturing in the Ottaman empire, Quartaert's book constitutes a major acheivement. Those who are interested in industry, industrialization, and European economic influence in the Middle East will ignore this study at their peril." American Historical Review

"On the whole, Quataert's book is fascinating with respect to the rich material used in illuminating organizations of production in Ottoman manufacturing. The detailed accounts of the textile industry in various regions are valuable contributions to Ottoman economic history. His various points of view regarding Ottoman manufacturing revival are stimulating challenges in future research in this area." Journal of Economic History

"...a fascinating survey of manufacturing in the Ottoman Empire from the late eighteenth century until World War I....The work is clearly written with a wealth of detail that will amaze the specialist but will not overwhelm the general reader looking for an introduction to Ottoman socio-economic history and an understanding of European industrialization's influence on the rest of the world. This excellent monograph is a ground-breaking work on Ottoman manufacturing." Bruce Masters, Journal of Interdisciplinary History

"...impeccably researched and informative book on manufacturing in the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century...offers penetrating insights into crucial questions on the economic development of the Third World...Quataert's data collection, a research tour de force, is unlikely to be duplicated." Middle East Journal