Doğan Avcıoğlu, Kemalism, nationalism, and socialism

In respectful memory of my dear friend, my elder brother, and my “elementary school classmate” Turan Karakaş…

In recent years, there has been a clear and visible increase in interest in Turkish history, the history of the Republic, and our great leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, especially among young people. This is reflected both in the publications produced by the youth on these topics and in the growing and renewed interest in our scientists, writers, and thinkers who have produced significant works and theses on these subjects. 

In this context, Doğan Avcıoğlu is undoubtedly one of the first thinkers who comes to mind. There are, of course, many reasons for the growing interest in Avcıoğlu among the youth. It is clear that the government's perspective on Atatürk, which has effectively removed him from state ceremonies and brought him closer to the people, has been quite influential. The burgeoning love and respect for Atatürk and the Republic are combined with a sense of ownership. This sense of ownership not only leads to a leap in consciousness but is also symbolically understood from the enthusiasm during national holidays and the number of citizens visiting Anıtkabir on November 10th. The fact that 1.1 million citizens visited Anıtkabir this November 10th is among the proofs of this. 

So, is this trend the same as the one in the 1960s? Can it be compared? Does it have similar characteristics? Or are there very different features and preferences at play? These also need to be discussed, of course. 

Because the eras and political climates are different. Turkey and the world are different. From the strength of socialist parties to the structure of the government, from the prominent topics in the world to the efforts of the working class to organize, from the environment in universities to the state of the media, there is much that is not the same. There are undoubtedly some similarities, primarily in the sincerity, enthusiasm, good intentions, self-sacrifice, and patriotism of the youth. 

First of all, it must be stated that in the 1960s, there was a strong influence of Atatürk and Kemalism among a very large portion of the Turkish youth. Even among socialist youth, the respect for Kemalism was dominant. While the CHP and TİP stood out as the parties receiving the most support from the youth in those years, the TİP was trying to attract voters who did not see the CHP as sufficiently combative or leftist to its own ranks. 

The National Democratic Revolution (MDD) theses, which were embraced by the defenders of the political line extending from the Young Turks to the Unionists and from them to the Kemalists, also received great support among the youth, intellectuals, and the educated middle classes. 

Doğan Avcıoğlu, one of the most important figures who provided a leftist interpretation of Atatürkism and Kemalism, and who always emphasized that his direction was socialism, wrote the following in his article titled “Our Understanding of Socialism” in the magazine *Yön*, with which he identified, on August 22, 1962 (Year: 1, Issue: 36, Page: 3): 

“Here, one point must be clearly stated and the slanders must be answered. We believe that socialists, who fight for the welfare and happiness of the Turkish people, are true nationalists. The nationalist understanding of socialism is also seen in the matter of national independence. A socialist is against both American hegemony and Russian hegemony. He believes that political independence in the twentieth century carries little meaning unless it is completed with economic independence. 

For this reason, we doubt the patriotism of the landlords who act more American than the Americans and the so-called nationalists who serve as lackeys to these landlords. We find it difficult to believe in the nationalism of administrators who have made the Turkish economy dependent on begging, opening a new era of 'Düyunu Umumiye' (Public Debt Administration), and who are afraid to support national liberation movements for fear of angering our rich uncles. 

One of the fundamental goals of socialism will be to realize economic independence as soon as possible and to ensure that foreign loans are obtained under equal conditions. In this sense, socialism is nationalist. In terms of nationalism, there are likely not many brave souls who could cast a shadow on socialists…

Essentially, we consider socialism to be the most natural result and continuation of Atatürkism, which is based on the principles of populism, statism, revolutionism, secularism, republicanism, and nationalism. We believe that socialism is the path to developing and advancing the Atatürk revolutions.” 

In short, at a time when interest, love, respect, and ownership toward Atatürk, the Turkish Revolution, Kemalism, and the Republic are increasing, it is important and positive that interest in Avcıoğlu, one of the most important thinkers of Kemalism, is increasing once again.