Six Arrows
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CHP_Logo3.jpg
CHP_Logo3.jpg
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's six great principles (in Turkish Altı Ok) while founding the modern Turkish Republic. Also the symbol of the Republican People's Party (CHP = Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi), which was also established by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk just before (9th September 1923) the declaration of the Turkish Republic in 29th October 1923.
The six arrows are as follows:
- Republicanism: (Cumhuriyetçilik) The modern Turkish state is to be governed as a parliamentary democracy led by an independent and neutral President with no party affiliations. The division of democratic forces is to be legally entrenched, an independent judiciary created, and a popularly elected parliament (the Turkish Grand National Assembly) formed with the authority to preside over the enactment of new legislation.
- Nationalism: (Milliyetçilik) Every citizen within the borders of Turkey is to be recognized as a Turk, regardless of such factors as ethnicity, religion, gender, race, sect, sexual preference or philosophical belief. This nationalism has no links with fascism, and Atatürk's nationalism strongly opposes imperialism, consistently promoting peace in both the domestic and international arenas. However, if there is any attack on the national integrity and solidarity of the Turkish Republic, it is to be immediately and appropriately addressed.
- Statism: (Devletçilik) The power of the state is to intervene in all economic matters where the public interest and social welfare is of greater importance than individual or corporate profit-making. In addition, where the private sector is not powerful enough to increase employment and create new spheres of employment, the state is to make use of its initiative to conduct businesses, establish factories, banks, and so forth. This statism is not a derivative of communism, but bears a certain resemblance to socialism and social democracy.
- Populism: (Halkçılık) Every Turkish citizen is to be recognized as equal before the law, regardless of such factors as ethnicity, religion, gender, race, sect, sexual preference or philosophical belief. The Turkish Republic protects the rights of every Turkish national in terms of economy, culture, identity, and heritage.
- Secularism: (Laiklik) Arguably, the most significant and unchangeable principle of Kemalism is secularism. The Turkish state is to have no officially sanctioned religion, nor is it to have one in the future. The Turkish state is to stand at an equal distance from every religion, neither promoting nor condemning any set of religious beliefs. As a result of two pieces of legislation dating from 1931 and 1937 respectively, the article stating that "the established religion of Turkey is Islam" was removed from the constitution and the principles of secularism and revolutionism added to the constitution in their stead. No Turkish politician can claim to be a protector of any religion or religious sect, which constitutes sufficient legal grounds for the permanent banning of political parties. The Caliphate was abolished on the 3rd of March 1924 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the Turkish Republic remains neutral in religious affairs save through the medium of the Ministry for Religious Affairs, which is responsible for the religious management of all Sunni Muslims in Turkey. A course in Islamic doctrine is compulsory in all elementary and high schools except those responsible for minority communities, which have their own religious courses (regulated and administered by the Ministry of Education).
- Revolutionism = Reformism (Devrimcilik = İnkılapçılık) A considerable degre of controversy still exists with respect to the "proper name" of this principle. While most of the Turkish left refers to it as Revolutionism, the center and right prefer to characterize it as Reformism - due, in some part, to the fact that all references to "revolution" were banned after the military coup in 1980. Atatürk's revolutions in social and political life are irreversible, with no possibility of return to the old systems (this is especially true for the secular reforms that were introduced following the abolition of the Caliphate, religious dress and the old Arabic script). Atatürk never entertained the possibility of a pause or transition phase during the course of the progressive unfolding or implementation of the Revolution.
The last two principles were accepted and entered into the constitution following the first four, and came to be recognized as unchangeable and sacrosanct shortly thereafter.