Turkish Revolution as Defined by the Six

Turkish Revolution as Defined by the Six Arrows of Kemalism

The Turkish Republic

On October 29th, 1923, the country of Turkey was proclaimed a Republic and Mustafa Kemal was elected its first President, with Ismet (Inonu) as the first Prime Minister. In many ways, this was the natural result of Turkey's war for independence against the Ottoman Empire, however the appointment of Kemal as President proved to have vast and -- in many cases -- unexpected ramifications for Turkey and its people.

The decision to proclaim Turkey a Republic was considered "premature," by many Independence War veterans, to include Huseyin Rauf, Ali Faut, Adnan, Refat and Kazim, as "calling the state a republic did not in itself bring freedom and that the real difference was between despotism and democracy, whether under a republican or a monarchic system."

Meanwhile, many Turkish cities -- particular the conservative Istanbul in the east -- were emotionally attached to the dynasty and feared for the future of the caliph; a fear that proved to be warranted when Kemal abolished the caliph position and ordered all former dynasty members out of the country on March 1st, 1924. Abolishing the caliph -- a religious and largely symbolic position -- was merely the first of several secular-minded reforms under the Kemal regime.

Now referred to as the "Six Arrows of Kemalism," this regime was founded on the following six principles:

1. Republicanism: Kemal and his supporters recognized no other political party aside from the Republican Party, believing that a Republic best represented the will of the people.

2. Populism: Kemal replaced the ancient traditions of Turkey -- to include the secondary status of women -- with more Westernized laws, such as the law that allowed women to vote in 1934. Kemal's wish to include Turkish women in the political arena was based on his belief that an enhanced sense of citizenship would result in a more united national identity.

3. Secularism: While the removal of the caliph managed to separate religion and state, Kemal's reforms aimed at separating religion from all educational, cultural, and legal aspects of Turkish society. Though Kemal was not anti-God, per say, he was opposed to any form of religion -- Islam included -- that sought to hinder Turkish modernization, which he believed synonymous with progress.

4. Reformism: Once again, Kemal sought to replace traditional institutions with modern institutions.

5. Nationalism: Kemal was staunchly opposed to imperialist rule and sought to create a united, indivisible Turkish state.

6. Statism: Kemal imposed a split economic policy in which the state assumed responsibility for all major investments -- such as the building of a national railroad beginning in 1923 -- though it stilled allowed for local industrial freedom.