Chapter Eight. Liberal Practices In The Transformation From Empire To Nation-State: The Rump Ottoman Empire, 1918–1923

Abstract

Positing a transition as an interregnum tends to legitimate its examination in its own right, as in the case of some interregna in the literal sense of the word, namely periods of prolonged conflict or uncertainty about dynastic succession, or interludes between two identifiably distinct political regimes. This chapter addresses such an interlude in the rump Ottoman Empire between 1918 and 1923, a half-decade of ruptures and flux that followed the end of World War I and marked the transition from the empire to a Turkish nation-state. Situating this transition in historiography, it portrays a period ordinarily not associated with the flourishing of liberal practices as a unique era of liberal manifestations, as reflected in the expansion and diversification of associational activity, proliferation of the popular press, and revitalization of electoral and constitutional processes.Keywords: liberal practices; rump Ottoman Empire; Turkish nation-state; World War I