History Of The Turkish Republic And Principles Of AtatÃrk
HISTORY OF THE TURKISH REPUBLIC AND
PRINCIPLES OF ATATÜRK
T U R K E Y
HISTORY OF THE TURKISH REPUBLIC
AND PRINCIPLES OF ATATÜRK
Over the centuries, the Turks established
sufficient and that it had to be followed by pro-
many independent states and developed their
found economic, political, social and cultural
own civilizations, in different parts of Asia and
reforms aimed at the modernization of Turkey.
Anatolia. The Ottomans created the greatest and
On the other hand, the ultimate goal of Atatürk’s
most powerful state in Turkish history. At the
thinking was to make contributions to universal
beginning of the 20th Century, the Ottoman
peace, happiness and prosperity.
Empire collapsed and after the National War of
Atatürk’s revolutionary reforms were based
Independence, today’s Turkish Republic took its
on an aggregate of theories called Kemalism and
place among the independent and modern states
the nature of the Kemalist ideology can be
of the contemporary world.
described in terms of six basic principles:
When the Allied Powers occupied and parti-
tioned Anatolia after World War I, Mustafa
Nationalism
Kemal, later surnamed as Atatürk (1881-1938),
The main objective of the Kemalist revolution
mobilized the Turks in Anatolia into a cohesive
was to create an independent national state
resistance force. The Turkish Nation started its
whose basis was the national resistance spirit. The
War of Independence in 1919, under the leader-
last stage reached today in the development of
ship of Mustafa Kemal as Atatürk. He and his fol-
lowers rejected the partition of the country and
drove the opposing forces out of Anatolia.
After a victorious defence of the homeland for
four years, the Treaty of Lausanne was signed
with the Allies on July 23, 1923, which approved
Mustafa Kemal’s governmental sovereignty over
Turkey’s present borders. At this historical point,
Turkey became internationally recognized as an
independent state and on October 13, 1923;
Ankara was declared as the capital city of newly
independent Turkey.
The Turkish Grand National Assembly pro-
claimed the Republic on October 29, 1923 and
Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, was
elected as the Republic’s first president.
He claimed that the military victory was not
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G E N E R A L I N F O R M A T I O N
societies is the nation. Through Nationalism,
Statism
Atatürk gave his own people a national identity
Statism was admitted into the political life of
and the Turkish Nation reached the final victory
Turkey in 1936 as one of the basic characteristics
by orientation to the national objectives and com-
of the Turkish State by a constitutional amend-
mon interests. The nation is not a race, but a
ment. The statism adopted by Turkey, retains
togetherness of spirits and a moral medium
individual initiative as the basic factor while it com-
moulded by history. The spirit of nationality, or
mits the state particularly in the field of econom-
simply nationalism, appears as a deep-rooted psy-
ics to raise the country to a high level of welfare
chological affinity with and respect for the nation-
taking into account the general and high interests
al history and successes and miseries in the past.
of the nation. According to Atatürk, the moder-
This spirit does not solely consist of an apprecia-
ate statism that he had devised is the system best
tion of the past and of the things, which occurred
suited to the country’s requirements. He made
in the past. There is another factor of nationalism:
the following priority listing for the duties and
the aims, hopes and expectations directed to the
responsibilities of the state:
future.
- To act in leading Turkey towards industrial-
ization and the contemporary level of civilization;
Populism
- To establish and maintain public order in the
The principle of Populism symbolizes the con-
country and to preserve individual freedoms;
temporary concept of democracy, and the ration-
- To provide the means of political freedom
al nationalism that can develop and flourish only
and well-being of individuals;
in free and democratic countries. Populism is a
- To maintain good relations with foreign pow-
cornerstone of the state and is a form of the con-
ers in order to safeguard and guarantee the coun-
sciousness of national sovereignty. Individuals
try’s future.
elected by the people shall govern the nation.
Their duty is to defend the country’s independ-
Republicanism
ence both at domestic and international levels.
As for Republicanism, with this principle
Parallel to the essence of this principle it has been
Turkish reforms find concrete backing in the
guaranteed in the Turkish laws that each Turkish
structural nature of the state. Turkey is a state,
citizen possesses equal rights regardless of race,
governed by democratic principles and democra-
sex, creed etc. and the state treats them equally.
cy itself is basically political, intellectual and egali-
tarian.
Secularism
Secularism, a corollary of democracy, best
Reformism
characterizes Atatürk’s modern society and the
The principle of Reformism is instrumental in
young Turkish Republic. This principle provides
following up developments and advances in the
for the administration of the state by contempo-
world of science. Through reformism, Turkey can
rary laws based on scientific facts as well as for
reach the level of contemporary civilization.
freedom of thought distinct from the pressure of
These six basic principles constitute the roots
any type of dogma.
of the Republic of Turkey.
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