ZEKERIYA ISIK: The Attitudes of Sects Toward State Authority in 19th Century Ottoman Society

Abstract

Throughout history, individuals involved in the community and groups against the absolute authority of the state, administrative and legal sanctions; has sought to escape routes by creating a number of ways. It has been observed that sects which sheikh based organized structures, sheiks and dervishes as the parts of subject /subordinate against the absolute authority of the state developed many various metis ways and means. It is understood that sages sometimes by using rational, practical and pragmatic namely virtual ways and sometimes by using idiosyncratic religious, mystical namely esoteric ways escaped the rules of authority, instutions and practitioners, on condition that not abnegate periodical differences. When it has departed from the Ottoman archive documents it has been observed that they used many various metis ways such as hiding in the sect environment, disguise, escape, parry, benefitting by penetrating to bureaucracy channel and state institutions, unreal statements, compromise, conflict, take advantage of the loophole in the law, simulation, strategy development, cunning and trickery. These events pointing to versatility in state-sect, society- sect relationships at the same time it has great importance to be evaluated healthier to being talked about the sections' behavior and attitudes develop towards each other in an analytical way. Ottoman modernization that imposed the elimination of traditional instutions and rules when the centralization in almost every area rebuilt state power and authority- in modern meaning- escape routes that sages he saw himself as a way out have been decisive for its relations with the state and society and as well as own prosperities.