Ahilik Cooperative Tradition in Anatolia
Description
1. Ed Mayo:
"The Ahi (‘brotherhood’ or ‘generous, open-handed’) movement in Anatolia, modern Turkey was started in the thirteenth century by Pir Ahi Evran-e Veli, a master leather craftsman and scholar, born in Iran in 1169. He envisaged a world of guilds, connected and operating in a context of ethics and faith that could enable peaceful collaboration across the economy and society (Faroqhi, 2009). The context was warfare. People arriving in Anatolia from Turkestan were escaping Mongolian invasion (and indeed Ahi Evran himself would die at the hands of Mongols encroaching further in, in 1261). The vision was one of both enterprise and of faith. The formation of craft and commercial organisations was probably a practical way to maintain their solidarity, compete with local Byzantine craftsmen and to build the quality and reputation of their work. Nonetheless, they also integrated religious and moral precepts throughout.
The first leather workshop established by Ahi Evran was in Kayseri in Central Anatolia, a model that spread to other craftsmen and other towns. While the evidence is scanty, it appears that at its core was an economic base typical to guilds, such as controlling quality on the materials to be used and techniques for production, running inspections and setting prices. Trades, crafts and arts (thirty-two of them, in a later classification) were grouped together in bazaars, each one given over to one profession (along with a baker and barbershop allowed for each) and each with its own symbol: an atlas quilt for quilt makers, a silver horseshoe for farriers, a gilded sugar cone for sweet makers (Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen, undated). Fatma Bacı, the wife of Ahi Evran, established a bazaar for women, the Baciyani Rum, allowing them to group together and to sell the goods that they produced (Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen, undated).
Underlying this was a linked and rigorous faith and social philosophy — possibly in the form of the seven hundred and forty principles set by futuwwanamas (the constitutions of the guilds), originating from the Qur’an. People were expected to behave with values such as being honest, generous, modest, encouraging, forgiving, selfless and realistic. The guild elder was the Ahi Baba — a title that found its way across to Jerusalem in later, medieval years (Faroqhi, 2009)."
2. Adana Esob:
"Ahilik is an organization that enables the people living in Anatolia during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods to grow up in various professions such as art, trade and economy, educates them morally, and organizes their working life on the basis of good human virtues. It has its own rules and boards. Akhism, which has a function similar to today's chambers of tradesmen, is a socio-economic order in which good morals, honesty, brotherhood, benevolence, in short, all good virtues come together. Ahilik, which was practiced in Anatolia for 600 years, lasted until the reign of Ahmet III. In 1727, an order called "gedik" began to be implemented. It took until the 17th century for the members of the Ahi-Union to teach art at the counter and to teach manners in the zawiyas as specific to Muslims, but as the Ottoman Empire's dominance over non-Muslims grew and expanded, as the number of craftsmen increased and its branches increased, this distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims continued. It was not continued any longer, and in direct proportion to the increase in the non-Muslim population, the necessity of working together among people of various religions arose. This new organization, which was established without discrimination of religion and did not lose much of its old quality, was called Gedik. The word Ahi is described as "open-handed and generous" in sources such as Dîvânu Lugâti't-Türk and Atabetü'l-Hakâyık. It is argued that it comes from the Turkish word "flux".
...
It is claimed that the Ahi organization, in addition to its economic and commercial activities during the Seljuk period, also engaged in military and political activities and played an active role in the establishment and strengthening of the Ottoman Principality. The Ahi organization is a social institution that continued during the founding years of the Ottoman Empire and afterwards. Ahi Evren is known as the founder of Akhism. Ahi week and celebrations are held every year in some cities by the Chambers of Turkish Craftsmen and Craftsmen in order not to forget the Ahi-order tradition related to this organization founded by Ahi Evran, whose grave is located in Kırşehir. The Ahi organization ensured that young people would grow up well and gain a profession. War, disaster etc. In bad cases, there would be solidarity between the members of the institution and the people. Sultans and other administrators also contributed to the Ahi organization and wanted it to develop by supporting it. It shows similarities with the Fütüvvet Organization, which was established for the same purpose by artisans and craftsmen in the Anatolian Seljuk State. It is the continuation of the Fütüvvet organization in the Ottoman Empire. For membership, the person must be recommended by an Ahi."
(https://www.adanaesob.org.tr/en/ahilik-kulturu.php)
Discussion
By Mahmut ARSLAN, from the introduction:
"The aim of this book is to overview the concept of work ethic based on Max Weber’s Protestant work ethic thesis, and to reveal work oriented attitudes in Catholic and Orthodox Christianity, also in Muslim Ahi tradition of Turkey. Ahi tradition includes very strong work ethic with this-worldly ascetism which is explained in Weber’s thesis.
“Ahi” is an Arabic word and means brother. However, in Turkish the word of “Ahi” only refers to a medieval brotherhood and its members. An Ahi is a person who is a member of Ahi brotherhood.
The term of “Ahilik” in Turkish means “Ahi organization”.
The Ahi religious order was established and developed by Anatolian Turks in the 13th century. The Ahi institution was a kind of guild organization which organized and controlled all commercial, cultural and educational activities in Turkish society. However, the Ahi organization was not only an economic organization but also a religious Sufi order that follow the ancient Futuwwat Order’s principles as its moral basis. We do not have satisfactory information about Medieval Futuwwat Order. We only know that they had close relationship with the Ismaili Order and Ihvan-us-Safa Movement. Some argued that even their origin comes from Karmati Movement (Tokalak, 2017).
In addition to economic and religious aspects, Ahi organizations also had some kind of military functions, especially during invasion periods. Military branches of Ahi organizations were composed of male and female military units. Male military units of Ahi organizations were called “Gaziyan-i-Rum” which can be translated as Knights of Anatolia. Female military units were called “Bajiyan-i-Rum” which can be translated as Sisters of Anatolia. In Seljuk Empire, Turkish people of Anatolia mostly used the term (Rum) means land of Romans or Anatolia instead of Turk for their ethnic identity. Because they were living in the territory of former East-Roman Empire. The term of Roman later was only used for Greek speaking Orthodox Christian subjects of the Ottoman Empire.
Anatolia peninsula was known by Turks as country of Romans. The term of Roman does not refer any particular race or ethnicity but only a cultural and geographic identity. However, Ahi Movement was not a military order like Knight Templars. They just organized defense units against Mongol invasion of Anatolia and dissolved military units after the establishment of Ottoman State.
In sum, the Ahi institution was an economic, religious and military organization which shaped Turkish business and work ethic in the medieval times. The Ahi institution contributed to the Turkish settlement of Anatolia and development of Turkish moral values. During the 13th century, Ahi organizations played an important role in attracting of Turkish immigration to Anatolia. The Ahi convents (zaviye) provided accommodation for newly arrived immigrants and also work opportunities for the skilled ones. Ahi order has its own code of conducts. These ethical principles shaped Turkish commercial culture in the region and its ethical effects can be traced in modern Turkish small business.
Ahi spirit and principles of Ahi movement has many common roots with modern business ethics. Ahi spirit strongly encourages work ethic. Ahi people do not believe in personal salvation in an isolated other-worldly ascetism. Like Protestant Puritans, they believe that work and profession are sacred activities to please God. When Max Weber wrote his famous “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” he argued that only Protestant and particularly Calvinists societies can develop the spirit of capitalism or work ethic. He only analyzed other-worldly Islamic Sufism of the 19th century. If he had the opportunity to analyze the Ahi movement, it is very likely that he would have had different views about Islamic work ethic.
We can see a considerable similarity between the altruist nature of Ahi movement and the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) of modern business ethics. According to CSR business firms have an obligation to society that extends beyond its narrow obligations to its owners or shareholders. Two actions are encouraged in CSR. First business should protect, which avoiding negative impacts on society. Second, business should improve the welfare of society which implies creating positive benefits for society. The idea of social responsibility supposes that the corporation has not only economic and legal obligations, but also certain responsibilities to society which extend beyond these obligations. Business has an economic obligation to society. Business has a responsibility to produce goods and services that society wants and to sell them at a profit. Unless a business is economically viable, its other responsibilities become moot. To achieve its economic responsibilities, business must be effective, efficient and make wise strategic decisions."
More information
See also the entry on 'Ahis' in the Wikipedia:
"The Ahi Brotherhood (Turkish: Ahî, plur. Ahîler), referred to as Ahi Republic by modern historians,[1] was a fraternity, guild and a beylik based in modern-day Ankara in the 13th and 14th century Anatolia."
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahis)
Key Book
* Book: The Work Ethic and Ahi Tradition of Turkey. Mahmut ARSLAN. Ibn Aldun University Press, 2018.