Turkish Nationalist in the Period of the Pre-Young Turks Revolution

Abstract

In the studies of Turkish nationalist thought we can point out some defects as follows. First, they did not minutely deal with the affairs of the period of the pre-Young Turks Revolution. Secondly, they did not compare the thought of Ottoman-Turks with that of Turks who live in the Russian Empire. In this paper, we investigate into articles of two famous nationalists, as an introduction of our study of Turkish nationalist thought. Yusuf Akcura (1876-1935), Kazan-born, published an article named "Three Policies" (Uc Tarz-i Siyaset) in March 1904. In this article he mentioned three political principles that the Ottoman Empire might follow, and examined them. The first principle is an Ottoman nation (Millet-i Osmaniyye) policy. The aim of this policy is to create a new nation like an American nation in the United States by means of assimilating all people under the Ottoman rule regardless of ethnic or religious differences. He opposes it definitely. Because this is against the will and desire of Ottoman-Turks, Islam, non-muslim subjects of the Ottoman Empire, the Russian and the Balkans, and the Western public opinion. The second is a union of Islam (Tevhid-i Islam) policy. He does not oppose this policy definitely. But, he points out a fact that almost all Islamic lands are in the power of the Western states, and warns that the Western states will hinder the Ottoman Empire from performing this policy. The final principle is a union of Turks (Tevhid-i Etrak) policy. Akcura enumerates three advantages of this policy. First, Ottoman-Turks will be tied more firmly by this policy. Secondly, non-Turk subjects of the Ottoman Empire will be Turkified. Thirdly, all the Turkic nations who live in the vast continent from Asia to the east side of Europe will be unified. He admits that Russian will oppose this policy because many Turks are in the power of the Russian Empire. But he adds the other Western states will support it for the reason that this policy is against the Russian interests. And he also admits that if the policy will be performed, spirits of brotherhood between Ottoman-Turks and other non-Turk muslims will be weakened. However, he insists that in modern society a religion must not be social or public but be private. That is, he does not approve a union of Islam, and asserts a union of Turks. Meanwhile, in the Ottoman Empire, Turks regarded themselves as not Turks but Ottomans. Ziya Gokalp (1876-1924) denied nationalism expressly in the articles in a newspaper, "Oath" (Peyman) published in Diyarbakir, his birthplace, and supported an Ottoman nation policy in summer 1909. That is, it appears that the most important thing for nationalist in the Ottoman Empire was continuance and reinforcement of the Empire even after the Young Turks Revolution.