Governing authority through bureaucracy: conflicts over bureaucratic cadres and the rise of authoritarianism in the late Ottoman Empire (1908–1913)

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ABSTRACT This article presents a historical analysis of how internal power struggles and conflicts among state actors can foster the development of authoritarian systems, particularly when a political network gains exclusive control over the bureaucratic apparatus through its authority over appointments and dismissals. Focusing on the intricate power struggles and factional rivalries surrounding gubernatorial appointments between 1908 and 1913, this article aims to provide an alternative approach to understanding how the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) became the dominant governing force within the state apparatus, enabling it to pursue an authoritarian agenda.