The foundations of the Republic and the negligence of the intelligentsia

The struggle for the founding of the Republic cannot be told as if one were telling war stories. The country's problems cannot be solved with hypocritical politicians who collaborate with imperialism.

The Republic is built on 3 foundations:

1- Independence

2- Democracy

3- Socialism (Collectivism)

INDEPENDENCE:

While laying the foundation of the Republic's independence, Mustafa Kemal Pasha and the Kuvayı Milliye (National Forces) cadres fought in three areas. They carried out three major actions.

- The act of struggle against imperialism.

- The act of national democratic revolution against the Sultan.

- The act of transitioning from the stage of the 'ummah' (religious community) to the stage of a nation.

STRUGGLE AGAINST IMPERIALISM:

The fundamental understanding and method of Mustafa Kemal Pasha and his friends in the struggle for independence was to be against imperialism. Never before in history had anyone grasped imperialism from the perspective of Turkey with the depth that Mustafa Kemal Pasha understood it.

During the Ottoman Empire, the Ottomans never really had an issue with imperialism. In fact, imperialism was not even heard of in the Ottoman Empire. However, in the War of Independence, imperialism was directly targeted and fought against. The Greeks' attack on Anatolia was a full-blown imperialist war. Behind the Greeks, just as in today's Israeli oppression, were imperialist powers.

Imperialism is, in a word, tyranny. Great powers—or more accurately, the ruling class that governs those great powers and integrates with them—capitalism, is the source of oppression and tyranny. When we look at the imperialist practices of capitalism, we see military interventions, genocides, as well as deceit, lies, robbery, and exploitation. In fact, while carrying out this exploitation, the capitalist class claimed to be bringing civilization to the world by talking about civilization.

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION AGAINST THE SULTAN:

The abolition of the Sultanate and the transition from being subjects to citizens is a very important step for democracy. For this reason, the founding of the Republic does not resemble republics in other countries. The goal of our republic is to establish democracy. If the republic does not have the goal of establishing democracy, it would be a fascist republic. There cannot be a Democratic Republic. There cannot be a republic for democracy; therefore, the founding of the republic in the process of the national democratic revolution is the beginning of a process where the foundations of democracy are truly laid.

The Republic has paved the way for democracy. It has gained very important ground in the process. When the revolutions are viewed with scientific reason and conscience, we can see this very clearly. For this reason, the phrase 'We will crown the Republic with democracy' is an empty, meaningless statement. The Republic means democracy, and democracy means the Republic. Turkey's historical realities have integrated these two concepts. They have made them synonymous. But those who subtly serve imperialism and want to wound the Republic have set traps for the Republic with various fabricated concepts. They have set traps for democracy. The bottlenecks of democracy in Turkey—that is, military coups—are the work of NATO, Europe, and the United States; in other words, they are the work of imperialism.

THE ACT OF TRANSITIONING FROM THE STAGE OF THE 'UMMAH' TO THE STAGE OF A NATION:

In all processes of the War of Independence, the transition from the stage of the 'ummah' to the stage of a nation is a very important step taken for democracy and science. In fact, many Islamic scholars say that the Islam in the Quran is very different from the Islam that was fabricated later. The 'ummah' is not a person who rents out their mind. Because there is a verse that is frequently repeated in the Quran: "(Allah) pours filth (restlessness, corruption, torment) upon those who do not use their reason."

In the Islam that was fabricated later, submission is demanded—like the submission of the dead to the mortician, or to a sheikh or a cult leader. This is a situation that strips a person of their humanity.

Individual independence is also very important. To be a citizen of democratic states, one must also be independent as an individual. Individual independence is to recognize no guide other than the guidance of science.

DEMOCRACY:

Democracy is the fundamental element of the Republic. However, in the century-long process, what needed to be done for democracy has not been done. For example, the communication dimension of democracy—that is, democracy in communication—carries serious obstacles. The political dimension of democracy has also, unfortunately, gradually regressed. For example, there is no sufficient intra-party democracy in any of the political parties. Parties are not parties of members and organizations, and again, the vast majority of parties are structures consisting of a leader plus crowds.

The economic dimension of democracy has never been sufficient anyway. An economic order that is dependent on the outside, devoid of creativity, and operating on monetary games based on buying and selling is dragging our people from pain to pain, from poverty to deprivation.

For example, there is no sufficient consumer organization. Unions cannot perform their functions. In many private workplaces, there is no union. Unions cannot organize there. Unions are only active in state enterprises and municipalities. However, the real place to organize is the workplaces of the private sector. Moreover, the High Arbitration Board practice has already destroyed trade union freedom.

So, as a result, there is no democracy in the economy either. In short, all the foundations of democracy were laid, but in the subsequent processes, unfortunately, the revolutions brought by the Republic could not be completed.

SOCIALISM (COLLECTIVISM):

The equality element of democracy also reveals, in a sense, that democracy must be collectivist. However, both Mustafa Kemal Pasha and his comrades-in-arms actually wanted to establish a collectivist order through the practice of statism. However, collectivism has extremely disturbed property owners and the ruling classes.

SOME EXCERPTS FROM MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK'S SPEECH ON MARCH 22, 1922: (IT IS NECESSARY TO READ AND UNDERSTAND IT MANY TIMES IN THE CENTENNIAL).

“...you all know that the most important states of Europe have emerged through the losses of Turkey and the decline of Turkey. The most powerful developments that affect the whole world today and threaten the life of our nation and our country have been realized through the losses of Turkey. If a strong Turkey had maintained its existence, it could be said today that England's current policy would not exist. If Turkey had not been defeated in Pest and Belgrade after Vienna, the Austro-Hungarian policy would not have been mentioned; France, Italy, and Germany have developed and strengthened their lives and politics by being inspired by the same source.”

“... THE STARTING POINT OF THIS FALL BEGAN WITH FEAR AND HELPLESSNESS. A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAD SOMEHOW TAKEN CHARGE OF TURKEY AND THE TURKISH PEOPLE WERE KEEPING TURKEY IN A HESITANT STATE, AS IF CONDEMNED TO SILENCE IN THE FACE OF VICTORIOUS ENEMIES ONE DAY. THEY WERE COWARDLY AND HESITANT IN DOING WHAT THE INTERESTS OF THE COUNTRY AND THE NATION REQUIRED. IN TURKEY, INTELLECTUALS WERE ALMOST INSULTING THEMSELVES. THEY WERE SAYING THAT WE ARE NOT MEN AND CANNOT BE. THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY FOR US TO BECOME MEN BY OURSELVES. THEY WANTED TO LEAVE OUR LIVES, OUR HISTORY, AND OUR EXISTENCE UNCONDITIONALLY TO THE EUROPEANS WHO WERE HOSTILE TO US AND WHOSE HOSTILITY WAS NEVER IN DOUBT. THEY WERE SAYING, 'LET THEM MANAGE US.'” (MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK - TAKEN FROM ATİLLA İLHAN'S BOOK 'HANGİ ATATÜRK'.)

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