Humanities and Arts
The Mystery of the Missing Horses: How to Uncover an Ottoman Shadow Economy
Koh Hwee
Abstract
Abstract In the 1690s, Ottoman bureaucrats reformed the sprawling postal system, a vital communications infrastructure that undergirded imperial power. Despite the expanding monitoring capacity that resulted, a constant shortage of horses regularly left couriers stranded for days and delayed official correspondence. This essay investigates this paradox and draws on a series of fifty-one Ottoman imperial decrees and reports from 1690 to 1833 to make three arguments. It first shows how bureaucrats perceived and tried to fix the problem by rationing horse usage and strengthening enforcement of rules. Second, it reveals that a range of official and non-official actors were diverting horses toward profit-making ventures in what I call a “shadow economy.” Third, it explains why Ottoman bureaucrats were unable to recognize the existence of this shadow economy. Like contemporary administrators in Qing China who found it hard to synthesize intelligence from different frontiers, Ottoman bureaucrats treated multiple reports of missing horses as discrete, unconnected events rather than connected evidence of a competing market demand for horses. Compounding this problem of a blinkered informational order, profound economic and social changes meant that bureaucrats in the capital were slow to realize that long-held official entitlements regarding horse usage for personal uses were aiding the growth of the shadow economy. I conclude by considering some social consequences of commercial forces in Ottoman society and contemporary France, and the stakes of this study with respect to the rise of anonymity in market exchanges, a property of capitalism.
in market exchanges, a property of capitalism. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0010417522000202
Key Questions
CopyWhat is the central focus of the study on the Ottoman postal system in the 1690s?
The central focus of the study is the paradox within the Ottoman postal system during the 1690s, where despite reforms aimed at improving the system and expanding monitoring capacity, a chronic shortage of horses frequently delayed official correspondence. The study investigates this issue by analyzing Ottoman imperial decrees and reports from 1690 to 1833, exploring how bureaucrats attempted to address the problem and why they failed to recognize the underlying causes.
How did Ottoman bureaucrats attempt to resolve the horse shortage in the postal system?
Ottoman bureaucrats tried to resolve the horse shortage by rationing horse usage and strengthening the enforcement of rules. They implemented measures to regulate the allocation of horses and ensure that the postal system functioned more efficiently. However, these efforts were insufficient to address the root causes of the problem.
What role did the "shadow economy" play in the Ottoman postal system's challenges?
The "shadow economy" refers to the diversion of horses by both official and non-official actors toward profit-making ventures outside the official postal system. This unauthorized use of horses created a competing demand that exacerbated the shortage of horses available for official correspondence, undermining the efficiency of the postal system.
Why were Ottoman bureaucrats unable to recognize the existence of the shadow economy?
Ottoman bureaucrats were unable to recognize the shadow economy due to a blinkered informational order. They treated reports of missing horses as isolated incidents rather than connected evidence of a broader, competing market demand for horses. Additionally, they were slow to realize that long-held official entitlements regarding personal horse usage were contributing to the growth of the shadow economy, compounded by profound economic and social changes.
What broader implications does the study draw regarding the Ottoman postal system and capitalism?
The study concludes by considering the social consequences of commercial forces in Ottoman society and draws parallels with contemporary France. It highlights the rise of anonymity in market exchanges as a key property of capitalism, emphasizing the stakes of this study in understanding how economic and social transformations influenced administrative systems and market dynamics in the early modern period.
