TÜRK SİYASETİ - Deneme Sınavı - 3

Kemalism radically differentiates itself from the previous Ottomanism and Islamism movements in terms of who the nation is. It also ideologically transforms the concept of Turkism from the Ottoman period and places it on the basis of the new secular republic. The understanding of Kemalist nationalism is not expansionist and irredentist. It does not have Turanist or Pan-Turkist aims. Within the national borders it has got homogeneous and anti-pluralist nature. The aim of Kemalism is to build a modern society and the state. But the existing social and political structure is not suitable for this purpose. For this reason, Kemalists first of all try to design society and the state through economic, cultural and legal regulations. This is a kind of social engineering attempt. At this point, nationalism in the modernization project of Kemalism serves the purpose of forming a homogeneous socio-cultural structure with a secular basis.

The currents of thought such as Ottomanism, Panislamism, Turkism, Turanism were advocated to return the empire to its former strong days and to fend off existing threats. The common ideal of these currents of thought is to ensure unity of the state. In short, these currents do not have a sociological basis that comes from the social background; political projects designed by statesmen and intellectuals

The currents of thought such as Ottomanism, Panislamism, Turkism, Turanism were advocated to return the empire to its former strong days and to fend off existing threats. The common ideal of these currents of thought is to ensure unity of the state. In short, these currents do not have a sociological basis that comes from the social background; political projects designed by statesmen and intellectuals. For the empires, such as the Ottoman Empire, the nationalism movement which had strengthened and spread in the 19th century had serious consequences.

The Ottoman Empire, which embraces different languages, religions and cultures, tried to use the ‘Ottoman’ identity as a general national name in order to deal with the new nationalist waves. This current of thought, expressed as Ottomanism (İttihad-ı Osmani), was born to provide the integrity of the remaining land and to prevent its disintegration

Islamism is another current of thought that is developed as an alternative to the nationalism in the Western form. This movement, called ‘Panislamism’ at that time, introduced an ideology based on religious identity in order to preserve the unity of the Ottoman Empire. However, the Islamist ideology that generates excitement and broad support among the intellectuals was not successful too.

The principle of Kemalist laicism aims at the gradual reduction of the influence of religion on political, social and individual life. Religious control of state affairs is abolished but state control over religion continues. When the state deems it necessary, it uses the religion as a tool for its own legitimacy. But this religion is not a dogmatic religion in the traditional sense; it is a rationalized religion that is compatible with reason and science. One of the aims of taking religion into state control is to prevent religious social opposition which could object to Kemalist power. Kemalism seeks to build a ‘Turkish Islam’ in harmony with nationalism instead of other Islamic interpretations that are widespread in the world. But regulations and practices based on the principle of Kemalist laicism paradoxically set the stage for the development of an Islamist opposition against the regime.

In its first phase, Turkish nationalism, like other nationalisms, has developed as language nationalism. Efforts to simplify Turkish language have taken place in this context. In addition, studies on Turkish race are also included in this framework. Pan-Turkism or Turanism, which is presented as a solution of saving the Ottoman Empire, advocates the unity of the Turkish communities in Central Asia under a single political framework. But the Republic rejects Turanism systematically and limits its own nationalism to Anatolia. This idea, which is trying to prove that Anatolia is a Turkish homeland, develops a new history thesis. According to this thesis, the Turks are 9,000 years old settled people of Anatolia. The Sumerian and Hittite civilizations belong to Turks; even at the base of European languages and civilization there are Turkish languages and ethnic groups. In the 1970s, the representative of nationalist ideology in the political sphere became Nationalist Action Party.

The liberal-conservative forms of nationalism seem more moderate than others. They try to add modernity and democracy to Turkish and Islamic elements of nationalist ideology. The question of modernization, the main element in the historical context of nationalism, is also added into the goal of rescuing and keeping the state. The synthesis that Ziya Gökalp sought to establish among Turk, Islam and Modernity is also the beginning of works in this direction. Yusuf Akçura, who proposes Turkism as a liberation force against Ottomanism and Islamism in his work titled ‘Three Types of Policy’, can also be mentioned as one of the liberal nationalists. Ali Fuad Başgil also defended nationalism based on liberal and conservative values. Other important names that may be mentioned in this context are Mümtaz Turhan and Erol Güngör.

The most important political feature of conservatism is ‘anti-revolution’. According to the conservatives, irreversible, forcebased radical changes create violence at the social and political level. It is not possible to establish a healthy social and political order through revolutionary change. Taking into account the existing order and institutions, a gradual or evolutionist change is healthier in terms of both the individual and the social order.

Liberalism in the broad sense accepts the individual as the basic unit of social analysis. Liberal thought opposes to all forms of oppression against the individual and demands economic, social, religious and political freedom. Liberalism, which is a kind of freedom theory, was born as a reaction to the old system in which various parts of the state and society could intervene in the rights and freedoms of the individual. While the left and socialism emphasize equality, liberalism emphasizes freedom. Liberalism is not just an economic doctrine; it is a multi-faceted ideology advocating certain basic views on the social and political sphere. In this context, liberalism is not collectivist but individualist; defends negative liberty far from positive freedom; calls for limited and responsible state, not an interventionist and oppressive state; believes in procedural justice based on market economy, against social justice based on redistribution.

The ideology of nationalism changed the view of the traditional Monarch-Subject (Teba) in the Ottoman Empire.

Kemalism does not have Turanist or Pan-Turkist aims.

Liberal nationalism tries to synthesize nationalism with liberal values such as democracy and the rule of law. Conservative nationalism has an understanding compatible with the status quo against revolutionary approaches. Expansionist nationalism represents the aggressive direction of this ideology. Left nationalism is more associated with an anti-imperialist approach.

Pan-Turkism or Turanism, which is presented as a solution of saving the Ottoman Empire, advocates the unity of the Turkish communities in Central Asia under a single political framework.

The synthesis that Ziya Gökalp sought to establish among Turk, Islam and Modernity is also the beginning of works in this direction.

According to conservatism, society involves a natural inequality.

Option B is related to directly to Turkish conservatism.

The main aim of socialism is to end the exploitation relations between the oppressor and the oppressed. B is related to liberalism, C and E are about conservatism and D is about  Liberal nationalism.

Hüseyin (iştirakçi) Hilmi is known as known as the founding father of the socialist movement in Turkey.

D is about feminism, C is about Islamism, B is about socialism, A is about conservatism.