Fukuzawa Yukichi and Ahmet Mithat Efendi: |a comparative study of the two leading figures of modernization in Japan and the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century

Abstract

TIle subject matter of this thesis is a comparative study of the two prominent figures of the modernization attempts of the nineteenth century Japan and tile Ottoman Empire, namely ukuzawa Yukichi and Ahmet Mithat Efendi respectively. From the view point tile current research agenda, their thoughts on the concepts of civilization, progress, science, economics, independence and freedom was examined. Besides their critical approach to their civilizations, their related prescriptions for the existing backwardness were also discussed.