Turkish Culture, Turkish Identity and Turkish Nation State

The German economist Fritz Neumark emphasizes the forgetfulness of the Turkish people and the fact that Europeans do not forget: 

"Turks don't realize it, but Europeans are aware of this fact. If Turks are removed from history, there is no history left."

A thousand years ago, the Arab historian Ibn Hassul made similar observations: "There is no tribe superior to the Turks in terms of valor and courage, and no tribe more capable of achieving great goals. Allah Almighty has created them as lions." 

Our country, which has experienced a hundred years of nation-state experience, needs to rebuild without forgetting its culture and identity. 

Let's see if the sleeping lion will wake up.

The Multinational-Multi-Religious-Multilingual Ottoman (Great) State 

The Ottoman Empire is undoubtedly one of the greatest states established by the Turks. Its culture was built on Islamic and Turkish culture. It is a civilization project. 

A look at the Fatih Laws in Bosnia and Istanbul is enough to show the breadth of the dome of freedom over other religions, cultures and identities. 

The period of peace in the Balkans, Caucasus and Middle East of a great multi-national, multi-ethnic, multi-religious state is called "Pax Ottomana". 

"The only thing the Turks love is truth and right," said the young William Pitt. 

But change is also a fact of life. A great state that has completed its natural lifespan collapses.

The French Revolution brought nation states rather than equality, justice and freedom 

With the French Revolution, sovereignty develops rapidly to the detriment of sultanates and multinational states. 

The principle of nationalism operates its political character in favor of nation states. 

The principles of equality, liberty and justice did not find application in proportion to their popularity. But nation states multiplied rapidly. 

From the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian multinational states, half of the world's new states were formed. 

"Happy to be a Turk" (M. Kemal Atatürk)

With the War of Independence, Turkey, a nation state, was left from the Great Ottoman Empire, which once ruled over 60 countries. 

M. Kemal Atatürk founded the new state as a Republic and built a nation state with the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. 

The multinational state is now the Turkish nation state. 

Although the language of the state was Turkish in the Ottoman Constitution, the simplification of a multinational, multilingual and multi-religious great state into a Turkish state created the perception of "the Turkish nation state". 

So why did the founder of the Republic say "Happy to be a Turk" and not "Happy to be a Turk"?

The practical reason for this can be seen as the fact that in the Republic of Turkey there are citizens of different ethnicities and cultures such as Kurds, Circassians, Arabs, Jews, Armenians and Greeks, just as we have Turkish descendants in 60 countries. 

But there is one fact. 

Turkey was founded as a nation state. 

The vast majority of the country is ethnically compatible with the Turkish nation state. 

Apart from not being racist, racism is not genetically present in the Turkish race. It does not marginalize. It does not discriminate. 

But with the French Revolution, it was generally accepted that sovereignty belongs to the nation. The ethnic differences and diversities left over from the empire were tried to be eliminated with the "right of the majority to rule" and "protection of the rights of the minority". 

Culture

Culture characterizes society. Sharing is essential. Beliefs, values, traditions, behaviors, artifacts are shared. 

There are learned and transmitted patterns. 

Interestingly, culture is dynamic, even though the template it creates gives the impression of stasis. It is always in motion, either in terms of spreading, interacting or evolving into other cultures. 

These influence and guide the thoughts, actions and interactions of individuals. 

It shapes people's identities as well as their attitudes and behaviors. 

Identity

Although the concept of identity goes hand in hand with the concept of culture in many areas, it points to a more subjective situation. Whereas culture is seemingly static, identity is inwardly fluid. 

Identity is based on factors such as nationalism, ethnicity, gender, religion, social class and more. 

It encompasses a sense of self and a sense of belonging to certain groups. 

When social interactions are insufficient to determine identity, cultural norms and institutions become the main determinants of identity. 

In the age of the internet and social media, these fundamental determinants are becoming less and less influential. 

This leads to a hegemonic and materialistic world and the simple commodification of everything. 

Turkish Identity

Napoléon Bonaparte points to the devotion of Turkish men and women to their homeland, as well as the separate virtues of both of them: "There are two great virtues (in Turks) that elevate people: The bravery of the man and the chastity of the woman."

It is time for men to be brave for a new Turkish identity. 

The process of identity construction is a dynamic process that every human being goes through every period. 

Individuals develop their identities as they gain new experiences, new knowledge, encounter different perspectives and evaluate events. 

The principles of justice, fairness, transparency and accountability serve as a guide. Not forgetting history is a good guide.

The dust must be removed from the New Turkish Identity without entering and allowing a crude instrumentalization of Islamism and Turkism.

The snake that does not touch me cannot be part of this identity.

Turkey is not only for Turks in wartime.

The majority has the right to rule.

The protection of the rights of the minority is sacred.

French historian Albert Sorel creates a paradigm about Turks:

"There are two unknowns in the world; one is the Poles, the other the Turks"

The poles have been discovered.

The next step is for Turks to discover themselves and who they are.

The Western Black Sea can be a pioneer in this.