Turkishness of the Ottoman Constitution

Wait a minute. Weren't those Ottomans not Turkish and they used the word to degrade when they talked about those backward peasants. Funny ha. 
Take a look at The Ottoman Constitution of 1876 and see anyone can write half as good a legislation today. That is the main 'ana' question. 
Just kidding folks ignorance is bliss for the Turkish elites, the half baked intelligentsia.
(Thanks to Our Hidden History Blog for the reminder)


Mavi Boncuk | 

Kanun-u Esasi قانون اساسى | The Ottoman Constitution (23 December 1876)

Article. 18. Eligibility to public office is conditional on a knowledge of Turkish, which is the official language of the State.

Article. 57. The debates of the Chambers are conducted in the Turkish language. The Bills are printed and circulated before the day fixed upon for discussion.

Article. 68. The following are ineligible as deputies:

1. Those who do not belong to the Ottoman nationality; 2. Those who, by virtue of the special regulation in force, enjoy immunities attached to the foreign service to which they belong; 3. Those not understanding Turkish; 4. Those not turned thirty years of age; 5. Persons attached to the service of a private individual; 6. Bankrupts not rehabilitated; 7. Those notoriously in disrepute for their conduct; 8. Persons visited with judicial interdiction, as long as that interdiction is not raised; 9. Those not enjoying their civil rights; 10. Those who lay claim to a foreign nationality. After the expiration of the first period of four years, one of the conditions of eligibility will be ability to read Turkish and, as far as possible, to write in that language.

Kanun-u Esasi قانون اساسى

MADDE 18.- Tebaai Osmaniyenin hidematı Devlette istihdam olunmak için devletin lisanı resmisi olan Türkçeyi bilmeleri şarttır. 

MADDE 57.- Heyetlerin müzakeratı lisanı Türki üzere cereyan eder ve müzakere olunacak layıhaların suretleri tab ile yövmü müzakereden evvel azaya tevzi olunur. 

MADDE 68.- Heyeti Mebusan için azalığa intihabı caiz olmıyanlar şunlardır: Evvelâ tebai Devleti Aliyeden olmıyan saniyen nizamı mahsusu mucibince muvakkaten hizmeti ecnebiye imtiyazını haiz olan salisen Türkçe bilmiyen rabian otuz yaşını ikmal etmiyen hamisen hini intihabta bir kimsenin hizmetkârlığında bulunan sadisen iflâs ile mahkûm olup ta iadei itibar etmemiş olan sabian sui ahval ile müştehir olan saminen mahcuriyetine hüküm lâhik olup ta fekki hacir edilmeyen tâsian hukuku medeniyeden sakıt olmuş olan aşiren tabiiyeti ecnebiye iddiasında bulunan kimselerdir. Bunlar mebus olamaz. Dört seneden sonra icra olunacak intihaplarda mebus olmak için Türkçe okumak ve mümkün mertebe yazmak dahi şart olacaktır.