Chapter 154 I Don’t Force People, I Usually Make Them Volunteer

Whether in the East or the West, the state has been around for a long time, but it was the modern West, such as France, that first proposed the concept of nation and equated it with the state.

In the eyes of Emperor See, although there were many countries in ancient and medieval Europe, the Roman Church was high above, occupying the dual authority of politics and religion, which led to fierce power struggles between the church and the state, the pope and the king.

As the medieval society disintegrated, forces opposing the pope and the church began to develop in various places, and national ideas that promoted the superiority of the local and national areas emerged.

Culturally, people praised the language, blood, history and myths and legends of their own ethnic group, emphasized the differences with other ethnic groups, and stimulated a sense of community with a unified external relationship.

Politically, the doctrine of popular sovereignty was proposed, believing that the people of all countries had the supreme power to deal with internal and external affairs alone. In this way, they could counter the monopoly of the church and safeguard the political and economic interests of their own country.

This highly unified and completely autonomous group constitutes a nation, and the state is its basic organization and institutional form.

The state and the nation are naturally linked together, and the nation-state was born.

Since the nation-state is a product of anti-clericalism, its basic characteristic is to believe in secularism. Secularism requires that the highest loyalty of citizens or ethnic members changes from the church to the nation and its state.

There is a view that the nation-state "refers to a country where one nation holds political sovereignty. It is not only politically organized and independent, but also has strong social cohesion." In other words, the so-called country in the Western European sense is a country of a single ethnic group.

But in fact, many nation-states in modern times, including Europe, are multi-ethnic countries. This is a question and challenge to the theory of a single nation-state, and also an opportunity for the Ottoman Empire.

In the history of the Ottoman Empire, in order to fight against Safavid Persia, the empire granted certain privileges to the Kurdish tribes and gained some loyalty from the Kurds. The Kurdish tribes nominally recognized the empire's right to rule, so it was a mutually beneficial product.

The Kurdish tribal leaders united to help the Ottomans, and in return they obtained an autonomous lifestyle.

What the Ottoman Empire needed was the loyalty of the Kurds, and the Kurds needed the empire to respect their lifestyle.

On the one hand, Kurdistan's mountainous terrain and the Kurds' unruly character and tribal structure hindered the effectiveness of the empire's direct rule.

On the other hand, both sides were aware of the boundaries and limitations of each other's power, so they could negotiate to resolve territorial issues.

And the most important requirement for the Emperor of Serbia in dealing with the Kurds this time was actually "loyalty".

After all, in a border area, political loyalty is far more important than regular taxation.

So, this requires the Emperor of Serbia to show his skills.

A long-term autonomous Kurdistan will have a very strong backlash when facing taxes and bureaucracy, so before solving this Emir tribal system, what needs to be solved is the other party's autonomous state.

The Emperor of Serbia never denied that the Ottoman Empire started from a nomadic tribe.

However, looking at the East and the West, once any nomadic regime established an empire, it turned against tribalism and committed to establishing a highly centralized government along the lines of civic culture, including a regular army and a large and relatively effective bureaucracy.

An empire, an empire that can be maintained for a long time in the feudal period, must have its main economic income from agriculture. Nomadic tribes find it difficult to find their place in it. Therefore, once the regime takes root somewhere, it seeks to settle and register the tribes.

However, the rulers of an empire are also realistic strategists. The sultans faced an intertwined dilemma in the eastern border areas of the empire in the 16th century. On the one hand, they need to prevent the subversion and infiltration of the Safavid dynasty. On the other hand, it is extremely difficult to implement direct management and taxation in the region, and even have side effects.

Therefore, these ancestors always treat the Kurds as a unique group, especially using them to ensure the stability of the border.

In exchange for their autonomy, the Kurdish nobles pay taxes to the sultan and provide soldiers.

The existing principalities in Kurdistan have been consolidated and recognized. The political systems of these principalities are similar to those of the Black Sheep Dynasty and the White Sheep Dynasty and the Turkmen Federation.

It can be said that the Kurds identify with the central government in general, but at the local level they identify with various religious brotherhoods and tribes.

The question is, the reason why the Kurds maintain such a semi-autonomous state is partly because the Ottoman Empire needs to deal with Persia, and partly because they are used to autonomy.

The former is no longer a consideration at this time, and the latter, Emperor Sey has already found a way

While the Sultan was planning a famous and detailed solution, the Kurdish tribes were also discussing it.

In the tent, the leaders of the two emirs, Bitlis and Botan, were discussing the proposal of Emperor Sey.

"So, you are going to agree to the Sultan's request? Kamran"

The leader of the Emir of Botan asked uncertainly.

Obviously, he did not agree with the other party's approach, but he was not too disgusted.

"Otherwise, Diyar, are you still going to create a rebellion with the Armenians?"

Kamran, the leader of the Emir of Bitlis, said casually.

"Don't think too much, I just don't want my people to work for this group of black-hearted businessmen.

Besides, the conditions given by His Majesty are indeed good. After all, not everyone is qualified to become the governor of a place.

Besides, the tribe cannot stay in this ravine forever. Your Majesty is right, we have to embrace the outside world.

The Safavid dynasty had perished, but the Ottoman Empire had the possibility of regaining its glory.

We no longer have the possibility to rely on the pressure of the Safavid dynasty to maintain autonomy externally, but internally we have to be pressured by the high sects that have basically suppressed the Balkans.

In this case, is it really good to have a semi-autonomous name? "

Dial was silent for a while and then said.

"However, our population is too small. Entering it hastily will only cause the tribe to perish."

Kamran smiled.

“Diyar, you have to remember that there is no such thing as Kurds and Turks.

We are all Sunni Muslims and true believers in God.

Also, it is not our choices that will make the tribe die, but our complacency that will make the tribe die.

This is no longer the era of swords. We have to go out, go outside, seek a higher status for the tribe, and become a member of the rulers of this huge empire. "

Dial did not question it anymore, but said.

"How to solve that Armenian businessman?"