The origins of the Megali Idea ideology stemming from Orientalism

The Megali Idea ideology that exists among the Greeks has internal origins, but there are also origins or factors stemming from Orientalism that are sometimes at a higher level than internal factors.

For this reason, if you wish, let us first refresh the various interconnected meanings of Orientalism:

First: Orientalism as "an academic field of interest or even a discipline with schools such as 'Oriental Studies',"

Second: "A way of thinking that expresses the distinction between the 'Orient' and the West in terms of ontology and epistemology (the philosophy of existence and nature)," and

Third, and perhaps most importantly, Orientalism as "a Western discourse developed for imperialism, in other words, to establish hegemony over the East, to restructure it in line with one's own interests, to possess authority, and further, for the West to seize the people and lands of the East."

What is the Megali Idea ("Great Idea," Greek: ?????? ?????)?

The Megali Idea can be defined as "a Greek ideal that has been in effect since the day Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquered Istanbul and ended the Byzantine Empire." In this context, it includes: "ensuring the full independence of the Greek nation," "the annexation of Western Thrace, Thessaloniki, the Aegean Islands, Western Anatolia, and Cyprus to Greece," "the establishment of a Pontic Greek State," and as the final stage, "the occupation of Istanbul and the re-establishment of the Eastern Roman Empire."

The practices for the realization of the Megali Idea can be listed as: "The Greek Revolution," "the annexation and militarization of the Aegean islands," "the Asia Minor Campaign and the attempt to establish an Ionian State," "the attempt to annex Cyprus to Greece," and "practices against the Turks of Western Thrace, Rhodes, and Kos."

The Origins of the Greek Revolution Stemming from Orientalism

The Greek Revolution was initially supported by Tsarist Russia with the aim of descending into the Mediterranean via Greece and having a state dependent on itself. It was no coincidence that the Filiki Eteria was founded in Russia.

According to the Western bourgeoisie, however, an independent Greek state that might emerge under the protection of Russia would not suit their political and economic interests.

If the establishment of a Greek state was to be inevitable, its birth had to be owed to Britain, and more generally, to the West.

A Greek state to be established would be the most effective naval power in the Mediterranean. For the British State, this was also a sound long-term investment for the security of its merchant ships.

The British State wanted to balance Russian influence over the Greeks.

In this sense, the competition between Britain and Russia played a fundamental role in the establishment of the Greek State.

The Origins of the Annexation and Militarization of the Aegean Islands Stemming from Orientalism

In this regard, it can be said that there are three main reasons: "the desire to use Greece as a battering ram against Turkey," "the continuation of arms sales by the United States, France, and other European countries," and "the appropriation of existing energy resources in the Aegean through the Greek bourgeoisie."

Finally, in an exercise held between September 2 and September 14, 2024, "the execution of a scenario for the seizure of the Eastern Aegean Islands with the participation of the USA, France, Greece, Southern Cyprus, Italy, Austria, Macedonia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Egypt" is one of the indicators of this.

The Origins of the Asia Minor Campaign Stemming from Orientalism

Among the origins of the Asia Minor Campaign stemming from Orientalism, reasons such as "British Prime Minister Lloyd George being a Greek admirer and a Turkophobe," "Greece filling the power vacuum that would arise in the Eastern Mediterranean and providing air and naval bases to Britain on its territory," "Greece being given a policing duty on behalf of Britain on the King's Road to India," "the desire to have power over the division of Ottoman Turkish State lands and to control the use of energy resources," and "the desire to expel Turks from Thrace and Anatolia" can be counted.

The Origins of the Attempt to Annex Cyprus to Greece Stemming from Orientalism

The intensification of the demands of Greek Cypriots for unification with Greece has been directly and indirectly supported by Westerners, and this process is ongoing.

Among the reasons for this are issues such as "the sharing of Cyprus's natural gas and oil through the Greek bourgeoisie," "the monitoring of Russia's entry into the Mediterranean," and more importantly, "the encirclement of Turkey from the south with the entirety of Cyprus."

In parallel with these goals, the US signed a "Statement of Intent on Defense Cooperation" with Southern Cyprus in 2018 and a "Security Dialogue Cooperation Mechanism" in 2021. The US lifted the arms embargo in September 2022 and concluded a "Strategic Dialogue Agreement" on June 17, 2024. Finally, it has implemented a "Defense Cooperation Roadmap" on September 9, 2024.

The Origins of Practices Against the Turks of Western Thrace, Rhodes, and Kos Stemming from Orientalism

As is known, Greece imposes restrictions on Turks in Western Thrace regarding opening businesses, allows Turkish farmers to benefit from agricultural subsidies at the lowest level, does not allow them to organize with their Turkish identity, does not recognize ECHR decisions, and does not recognize their elected muftis.

The cultural genocide practices applied to the Turks of Rhodes and Kos are even more dire. Their right to learn their mother tongue, Turkish, has been taken away. Turkish schools have been closed. The foundation properties of the Turks are being plundered. Turks are afraid to say they are Turkish, and they have no freedom to choose their religious leaders.

And the Greek State does not accept the Turks of Western Thrace, Rhodes, and Kos as Turks.

This situation that has emerged is at least ignored by the West.

Because imperialism considers universal concepts such as democracy, the rule of law, and the rights of communities to learn their mother tongue to be valid for minorities in regions that concern the interests of global capital. In these regions, they even carry out military interventions by citing universal concepts.

Against all this, minorities in regions where they have no interests are ignored, forgotten, and made to be forgotten.

And the universal (!) concepts of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights are completely ignored for the Turks of Western Thrace, Rhodes, and Kos.

Today, a handful of Turks trying to maintain their existence in Greece are seen as an element of instability, silenced, and their rights are usurped. They are among the minorities who are forgotten and made to be forgotten.

Even though the Turks are equal citizens on paper in Greece, which is a member of the European Union, they cannot go beyond being "dark-headed Turks" in the eyes of the West. They are not on the European Union's agenda.

I would like to conclude my article by mentioning two anti-Turkish films directed by imperialism that have been released in recent years.

One of them is the US-Greek propaganda film "Smyrna My Beloved."

In the film, "the Turkish Army is shown committing genocide against Greeks and Armenians in Izmir on September 9, 1922. It is overlooked that the Greek army, which set Western Anatolia on fire while fleeing, and the Greek and Armenian gangs that assisted the occupying Greek army, started the Great Fire of Smyrna."

Another is "Famagusta." The film is a Netflix film.

In the film, "the slander is made that the Turkish soldier opened fire on the civilian Greek population during the Cyprus Peace Operation. There is no mention of the massacres committed by Greek armed gangs against the Turks."

Note: As the author of these lines, I want Turkish-Greek friendship, let alone the solution of problems between Turkey and Greece, because I have relatives and kinsmen living in Greece. However, I think it is useful to look at relations with a realistic eye. Turkophobia still continues in Greece. Let us not forget that, apart from the internal reasons for this, imperialism has created Turkish-Greek antagonism for political-economic reasons.