Abstract:

When the Second Constitution Era was declared by the Committee of Union and Progress the idea of establishing a nation-state wasn’t developed yet. However, the Committee of Union and Progress had found common ground with the Balkan nations. This was to overthrow the regime of Abdul Hamid. It was thought that declaration of the Constitution would solve all the problems in the Balkans. However, contrary to expectations, atmosphere of peace and friendship lasted for a very short. Non-Muslims were concerned about the awakening of the Empire under the leadership of the Turkish majority. This would threaten the privileges of religious communities that organized under the “millet” system. Non-Turkish societies were afraid of centralization and Turkification policies of the Committee of Union and Progress. To prevent this, they were relied on the states such as England, France, Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. it was known that those states wouldn’t take kindly to Turkish affords that would challenge their hegomony in the region. These states were concerned that they will lose their acquired rights in the Ottoman Empire. In this study, the Committee of Union and Progress’s centralization and Turkification policies in the economy, education and foreign policy areas and the purpose of “the Unity of the Elements” (İttihad-ı Anasır) will be analyzed. And the alliances formed against the Ottoman Empire as a result of these policies will be studied. 

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