A review of public administration doctrine: An evaluation of Defterdar Sarı Mehmet Pasha's Nesâyihü'l-Vüzerâ ve'l-Ümerâ / Advice to Statesmen

Abstract

In the Ottoman-Turkish tradition of governance, "political treatise/siyasetnâme” occupies an important place. They were considered as public administration doctrines and used as basic guides in the training of state administrators. One of the most valuable works of this tradition, Defterdar Sarı Mehmet Pasha's book "Nesâyihü'l-Vüzerâ ve'l-Ümerâ / Advice to Statesmen" is the focus of this study. Defterdar Sarı Mehmet Pasha's work offers an in-depth view of state administration. This view includes both the understanding of governance of the period and concepts that are critical for the doctrine of public administration. In order to understand how this work relates to modern public administration, a qualitative method was adopted in the analysis process. Qualitative analysis allows us to examine the content of the work more closely and to understand the author's perspective accurately. The study occurs from nine main chapters. Each chapter focuses on different concepts and aspects of the work, providing the reader with a comprehensive perspective. To better understand and support the main views of Defterdar Sarı Mehmet Pasha, some stanzas and couplets from the original work are also included in the analysis. These couplets not only reflect the aesthetic of the language of the period, but also help us to grasp the message of the work in a deeper way. This study aims to analyze Defterdar Sarı Mehmet Pasha's book Nesâyihü'l-Vüzerâ ve'l-Ümerâ / Advice to Statesmen as a Public Administration Doctrine, which is one of the ancient sources used in the training of state administrators as a kind of public administration doctrine, which has gained a place in the Ottoman-Turkish administrative tradition with the name "political treatise/siyasetnâme". In conclusion, this study makes an important contribution to the culture of political writing in the Ottoman-Turkish administrative tradition. It illuminates the relationship of this unique work of Defterdar Sarı Mehmet Pasha with modern public administration and its practice, and reveals how it has left an impact on the present from a historical perspective.