378 chapter 8
he insists that no matter how close to the right course and even how prefer-
able to the old law (Y37: töre-i kadimeye) a new regulation may be, there will
always be ignorant ones who will revolt against it, preferring their own per-
sonal benefit to the common good. Every tribe or group has its own natural
customs and traditions; those who are not trained in arms and military ways,
who do not know the virtues of patriotism and national zeal (Y38: hubb-ı vatan
ve gayret-i milliyye), who are accustomed to idleness, showing respect for nei-
ther agriculture nor trade; those who think that good alliances and society
differ from the state itself (gûya devlet başka ve ittifakât-ı hasene vü cem’iyyet
başka); in short, such ignorant people (and Şanizade seems to imply the janis-
saries) are easily incited to rebel and disobey. This was facilitated by Selim’s
bad counselors, about whose behavior Şanizade complains in detail (Y40–42).
Elsewhere, he complains of the situation in the Ottoman army (Y85–87): he
notes that love of one’s country and national (or religious) zeal (mahabbet-i
memleket ve gayret-i milliyye) are an innate part of human nature; mankind
always sought to live “quiet and free” (azade). However, a lack of training and
exercise led most nations to lethargy and disunity, causing them to be subdued
by other tribes. Şanizade then jumps to the problem of reforms, observing that
man first has to learn and understand before accepting an innovation: before
changing a people’s customs, one has to make them understand the benefits of
the specific reform. The need for a re-ordering of the Ottoman army was still
not understood by the commoners (avam) because they cannot understand
even their own situation: the elite blame the commoners and vice versa, and
thus the virtue (haslet) that discriminates the two fails to be understood, pro-
ducing instead animosity and jealousy. That is why, concludes Şanizade, the
creation of Nizam-ı Cedid should have been done gradually and with care for
the people’s feelings.
Şanizade admits that, in his days, due to the general changes of the time
(teceddüd-i eyyam ve tebeddül-i a ’vam), there arose the need for a re-ordering
(tekmil-i nizam) that would deal with the general idleness and lethargy prevail-
ing in all affairs. However, such measures met with strong opposition (Y404ff ).
The janissaries, being (because of their previous order) more united than the
other classes, dominated the rest. In this way, however, whatever affluence
and comfort had been obtained due to the power of social solidarity (kuvvet-
i ictima ’iyye) is now lost as a result of the conflict among the other classes.
In a similar vein, elsewhere Şanizade uses the old pattern of the four pillars
(Y481–482) which constitute every state (devlet). Men of the sword, he notes,
have prevailed over the others for some time now, but, since they lack the nec-
essary number of soldiers ready for battle, men from the other three classes are
permitted to use the title of soldier.