Reforms, and Outside-Class readings

Throughout the semester we've been consistently learning more and more about the reforms that were carried out by various rulers before the Ottoman Empire became the "sick man of Europe." Many historians and scholars discuss the controversy on whether or not the Ottoman Empire was attempting to change whatsoever as it began to decline. As we examine documents like The Gulhane Proclamation, and the various reforms incorporated during the Qajar Dynasty as well as while the Pahlavi Shahs ruled, it is plain to see that this empire was in fact attempting to change for the better. The Gulhane Proclamation presented ideas similar to those in our Bill of Rights, "Security of life, honor, and fortune," as well as this idea that benefiting the Ottoman people is the governments number one priority. The Qajar Dynasty began with military reforms: deciding which kinds of tools and weapons should instead be used. This dynasty also worked to increase and encourage the cultivation of cash crops, and the rulers were successful in building a state apparatus. But following this "triangle idea" that reform leads to imperialism which leads to nationalism which leads to reform, et cetera, soon enough revolutions and opposition from the people arose. It was with the Pahlavi Shahs that nationalism sprung again, and with the new rulers, new reforms also arose.
I could go on to further explain the reforms and the rulers and the revolts. But for this blog I would like to make it apparent that the readings we've been assigned as outside work have become considerably helpful in understanding all of this material. Though the fictional novels we've been reading are only fiction, I think it's important to include these types of sources in history classes like this; these novels suggest new perspectives we may not have otherwise obtained, even if some of the information isn't historical accurate, it is our responsibility as students to have paid enough attention and done the work expected of us so that we can decide what is true and what is not. Furthermore, these reading only reiterate all of what we learn in class, and the only way to truly learn our history is through repetition, and what easier way to have information repeated than through novels and textbooks that show us new perceptions of the same information.