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Douwes examines the Syrian interior during the period from 1785 to 1841 and shows how the empire established independent local power bases and how their rule over the peasantry was based on oppression and extortion.

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This work examines the Syrian interior under Ottoman rule during the period from 1785 to 1841 and shows how the empire established independent local power bases and how their rule over the peasantry was based on oppression. It covers subjects such as local administration and fiscal policies.

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Dick Douwes teaches at the University of Leiden and at the International Institute for the Study of Islam.

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