KEMALISM: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CAHIT TANYOL AND ŞERIF MARDIN’S APPROACHES

Nation-states have a founding ideology. Announced on 29 October 1923 the Republic of Turkey is the founding ideology of Kemalism. The characteristics, theory and practices of Kemalism in 15 years period will be embodied between 1923-1938. The existence of the Republic was built on the principles of this ideology. Society and state design have been created in connection with Kemalism. The mentality and policies that determine discourse and actions are shaped and executed depending on this ideology. Kemalism is an ideology that has been built up over time and over time. Although it has renewed itself to a certain extent, it does not compromise its founding principles. We come across different interpretations of Kemalism, throughout the history of the Republic. Some of these interpretations can be classified as approving, some rejecting, some confirmatory, and a part of what does not refuse nor approves. When examining the history of the republic, the examination of the official-center ideology is necessary for the proper understanding of this history. Cahit Tanyol (1914-...) and Şerif Mardin (1927-2017), both of whom have experienced official-central ideology, because they are in the first generation of nation-state since childhood, have learned its mentality, values, ideas and characteristics. They saw the practices of Kemalism and existed in their practices. The two social scientists and sociologists, in their work, addressed the official-center ideology, Kemalism from different perspectives; they approved of some of the ideas and practices, rejected some of them, and criticized some of them. Cahit Tanyol and Serif Mardin lived conditions, transformations and the ideology of the process with the official history of the Republic-centered existence and for that their works are with an awareness of continuity of the history of Ottoman and Turkey. They have made their evaluations, comments and criticisms in a different ways.

Keywords

Nation-State, Kemalism, Ideology, Democracy, “We” Concept, Identity, Cahit Tanyol, Şerif Mardin.