İttihat ve Terakki is an oganization founded by Military Medical students in the name of İttihad-i Osmani. The aim of the organization is forcing the totaliter regime and sultan Abdulhamid II to announce constitution again. In a short time period several similar organizations joined to İttihat ve Terakki and it became major figure in late Ottoman politics. Goverment employee, young officers and teachers were consisting the big portion of its members. Both of these classes were the most affected clasess from capitulations and economical integration of Ottomans to the world economics. Minorites were privilidged as a result of these economics.
It was not a revolutinary organization but reformer. It follows the modernization by reforming actual Empire Institutions not by destroying them. The dominant idea of İttihat ve Terakki was not letting the other countries any intervention to their domestic politics or economy. However the other contemporary opposing movement was looking intervention was the only way to modernazation. This liberal opposing wing consisted people who were educated in mostly Paris and accustomed to Western life and culture. The main figure was Prince Sabahattin. Although the last impact came from İttihat ve Terakki by insurgency of Resneli Niyazi and Enver, Abdulhamid suffered both from these two opposition during his totaliter era.
Abdulhamid announced constitutional monarchy in 1908. As a result administration was under the authority of parliament. However, this time liberal wing and İttihat ve Terakki began to fight for government. The aim of modernization was same but the ways to this aim were different for these movements. This struggle was live during rrom 1908 to end of The Balkan Wars 1913.
At the begining İttihat ve Terakki left the government to liberals since liberals have more experienced statesman and have better relations with foreigners. Plan of İttihat ve Terakki was checking the government from outside. However, prime minister of liberals Kamil Pasha did not treated İttihat ve Terakki as serious oppenent. When he tried to eliminate the roots of İttihat ve Terakki in army by trying to appoint Military Minister, İttihat ve Terakki pressured on parliament and showed this situtation as a civil coup d'etat, Kamil Pasha and his government lost the government.
Not long after, a group of bigots, conservative and traditionalist insurgents gathered and protest constitution in 1909. There were foreign states and liberal movement behind the insurgent and Abdulhamid was happy but silent. Ottoman Rumeli Army came to the Istanbul and repressed the insurgent under the command of Mahmut Şevket Pasha who had liberal and modern reform ideas but not a member of İttihat ve Terakki. Responsible figures were hanged and it was the last conservative insurgency in Ottoman history. (31 March Incident)
Mahmut Şevket Pasha was reformist too but focused on only army reforms. The only way for Ottomans was powerful army not reformed institutions. So, he did not dispand the parliament but announced martial law and appointed himself as the commander of both 3 Ottoman armies who could not be checked by Military Minister. Martial Law longed for 3 years and during these years there was a power balance between Mahmut Şevket Pasha, liberals and İttihat ve Terakki.
The Balkan War which was started in 1912 ended in 1913 with a an ultimatom of United Kingdom and France. It refered that Ottoman will leave the Edirne to the Kingdom of Bulgaria. There would not be any other meetings between great powers and Ottomans if this ultimatom won't be accepted. The prime minister of parliament was again liberal Kamil Pasha. Ottomans could not be survive without England and France according to Kamil Pasha so Kamil Pasha decided to accept the ultimatom. But before the formal approval the pro-İttihat ve terakki young officers raid the parliament. Enver Pasha with his gun forced Kamil Pasha to sign the paper of resignment. (Babıali Baskını). Mahmut Şevket Pasha appointed as Prime Minister (Sadrazam) but soon after assasinated in other insurgency supported by liberals and England. This insurgency repressed and İttihat ve Terakki became the absolute power for the first time. The first reform in their agenda was eliminating the older and liberal officers from army. The oldest officer in the army as a member of İttihat ve Terakki was İzzet Pasha however he refused to eliminate his friends. So Enver Pasha appointed as Military Minister and he signed the paper which retires the old officers while appointing the younger officers. Enver Pasha and his army moved to Edirne and captured in 21 July 1913.
İttihat ve Terakki thought the way of modernization could only be done by cooperate with allied powers, especially England. This opinion was usual one in Ottomans, it was the fundamental of foreign diplomacy for more than 100 years. So, İttihat ve Terakki sought a place next to allied powers. But the more important thing for İttihat ve Terakki was the economical and politicak freedom, so it was impossible to be with allied powers while trying to cancel capitulations and foreign interventions. The best example on this issue was; when Economy Minister Cavit Pasha demanded the loan from France, he did not accept the terms that contains France's interventions. In return, people who feel threat on interests of French Capitals (especially tobacco) and so their own interests and feel comfortable in Abdulhamid Era status quo supported insurgents in 31 March incident. The cover of insurgency was Islam and they accused İttihat ve Terakki as irreligous. However, İttihat ve Terakki consider Islam as one of the 3 foundation of Ottomans.
At last İttihat ve Terakki notice that there is not any place for Ottomans next to allied powers, worse one of the aim of allied powers is Ottoman Lands. So they tried to find new allies and built one with Germans. As a result of this Ottomans entered the WWI in 1914.
İttihat ve Terakki was an interesting organization with its structure. They refused to be a party until 1914 during this period it was well orginized movement. There was not any leader on the central board. Generally central board reached a decision after long discussions. Though, they had enough authority on government to appoint every members of central board in government, they never did this. Only part of central board was appointed as member of parliament or ministers. As a result one of the most important figure Dr.Nazım was appointed as a minister only once while Talat Pasha was out of the cabinet several times. During WWI, there was Enver - Talat - Cemal trivium in central board but again they were loyal to the central board.
İttihat ve Terakki led the ordinary people to come in politics in Ottomans for the first time. People gathered, boycotted, protested, so it has counterparts in ordinary people and ability orginize them. When Austria-Hungary annexed the Bosnia-Herzigova people boycotted Austrian goods for the first time.
When people look the politics decided by the movement, contradictions can be easily seen, however İttihat ve Terakki was not a idelogic movement but pragmatic. Ottomanism was the policy of movement before Balkan Wars, since majority of Rumeli was christians, slav and greek. But when Ottomans lost the Rumeli, movement decided to follow Islamic propaganda also Arabic language in order to keep Arabs by their side. At the end of WW1, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk decided to follow Turkish nationalism and it was the latest nationalist movement in Ottomans.
As a summary; İttihat ve Terakki was progressive movement. It tried to modernize Ottoman Empire with its actual peoples and institutions not by foreign intervention. It was well determined movement that led many violent incidents against opposite fractions that even were not seen in Abdulhamid era. They never hesitated to suppress opposites by violence.
1908 - The Announcement of Constitution
1908 - Independence of Bulgaria
1908 - Annexation of Bosnia - Herzigova
1909 - 31 March Incident and Martial Law
1911 - Libya War / Italy
1912/1913 - Balkan War
1913 - Raid of Babıali / Parliament
1913 - Recapture of Edirne
1914 - Foundation of Party
1914 - Entrence of WW1
1918 - Defeat of Ottomans
