Public Good and Private Exploitation: Criticism of the Tobacco Régie in 1909

Abstract

On 7 ubat 1324/1909, Riza Bey,2 the M.P. for Drama, made a speech in the Ottoman Parliament in which he criticised he Tobacco R gie and re quested that the Minister of Finance explain the Regie's current position. In re sponse, the minister too criticised the R gie,3 threatening that if the R gie con tinued to act in contravention of laws and regulations, then the government would consider itself free to act as it thought fit.4 The minister's speech was pub lished in the Official Gazette on 12 ubat 1324, Number 131.5 The R gie started a campaign against the allegations put forward by the Minister and Riza by sending its top officials to the sadarefi and submitting a petition (ariza) to the sadrazam, a document (takrir) to the Ministry of Finance and a report to the administrative committee of the company itself.7 The R gie