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March 17, 2007
Open Turkey and Its Enemies
[Originally published Turkish Daily News]
In his highly influential work, “The Open Society and Its Enemies” (1945), Sir Karl Popper made a historical overview of political thinkers who opposed the “open society” and instead preferred authoritarianism in various forms. From Plato to Marx, many influential theorists have argued for a political order in which the state and the elites “guide” the people and suppress their “wrong” ideas, beliefs and even identities. Yet such trials of social engineering created not the perfect societies they proposed, Popper noted, but rather brutal tyrannies.
For Popper, the best political order was the open society, in which the government is responsive and tolerant, and political mechanisms are transparent and flexible. In such a society, the state would see itself not as the master but the servant of the people, and would respect political freedoms and human rights.
That is Political Science 101, of course. But it is also highly relevant to the current political debates within Turkey. If you cut down those debates to their premises, you will realize that they are basically amongst those who hope to bring about an open Turkey and those who want to avoid it - or, in other words, those who wish to see the country as a liberal democracy, and those wish to keep it as an illiberal oligarchy.
Against All Freedoms
The latter camp does not define its ideal with such bitter terms, of course. They instead prefer euphemisms and describe themselves as “the guardians of the secular republic” or “the protectors of national interests.” But just look at the positions they take and you will realize what I mean. The illiberal oligarchy zealously opposes religious freedoms of all believers in Turkey, whether they might be Muslim or Christian. (For them, a Muslim woman wearing the headscarf or a Christian evangelizing his Bible is equally abhorrent.) They are against free speech and want to silence the critiques towards the state by labeling them as “insults against Turkishness,” a fatal act under the infamous Article 301. They are also against free markets and want to prevent foreign direct investment to Turkey — which they see as “imperialism” — as much as possible.
As for foreign policy, the illiberal oligarchy is perfectly in line with all authoritarian regimes: It argues that the world is full of enemies and the best strategy against them is to be as tough and militant as possible. Its proponents were furious about the rapprochement between Cypriot Turks and Greeks and still think that we Turks have given too many concessions by accepting the United Nations solution, namely the “Annan Plan.” Any other step towards solution in Cyprus would be, according to them, high treason.
In Iraq, the same circles are against any dialogue with the Kurdish authorities, and instead wish to continue to threaten Iraqi Kurds by toying with absurd scenarios on invading our southern neighbor. According to that mindset, the only good Kurd is a Turkified or Arabized one, and the best thing to do with self-asserting Kurds are to deny or intimidate them. (Of course Turkey has justified concerns about the terrorist threat coming from the PKK, but that could arguably be better dealt with by talking to Iraqi Kurds, not bullying them.)
Above all, the illiberal oligarchy is passionately against what it sees as the mother of all new evils, the EU accession process. According to them this process forces Turkey to accept dangerous concepts such as individual freedoms and liberal democracy. In such an open Turkey, the oligarchy, and its conventional methods to run society — such as the usurpation of political power via judiciary, military coups, “postmodern coups,” and all their privileges that are not open to democratic questioning — would die out.
Frighten et empera
Of course, the illiberal oligarchy is not a cadre of fools, and thus they don't openly say, “We don't want democracy because it will empower the people against us.” They rather invent heroic reasons for their war against freedom. This is best done by depicting freedom as a menace in itself to Turkey.
This is a rhetoric that goes back to the 1920's. In 1925, The Progressive (Terakkiperver) Party, which was proposing a liberal political and economic system and a “conservative” approach that was respectful to religion and tradition, was shut down by the CHP, the state-party, with the accusation that it was “backward-minded.” Since then, Turkey's ruling elites have suppressed all forms of political dissent by depicting them as menaces to the republic. “If we accept that there are Kurds in Turkey, we will be divided,” they have argued. Or, “If we allow Muslims to wear their headscarves or have their Sufi orders,” they have said, “They will establish an Islamic state.” Nowadays they have found a new fear to promote: “If Tayyip Erdoğan becomes the president,” they claim, “The republic will come to and end.”
In the face of all those fears constantly manufactured and maintained by Turkey's oligarchy, one recalls a classic strategy of authoritarianism: Frighten and rule. The best way to usurp the freedoms and sovereignty of a society is to make it believe that it is facing lethal threats that can only be dealt with by iron-fisted rulers.
Students Without Fear
From my point of view, that is the best explanation for the fearocracy we have in Turkey. Not everybody thinks so, of course. In the TDN, for example, I have several colleagues who find all those fears more genuine and realistic.
Last week, a nice visit by a group of students from Istanbul Bilgi University to our headquarters gave us the chance to debate these issues. Our guests were the students of the Online Publishing class taught by Ariana Ferentinou, whose columns you might be following in the TDN (and if you don't, I think you should). Their questions about the nature of the media in Turkey opened up the whole debate on the freedom of thought. And it turned out that we, the TDN team, have different ideas about it. Which is all fine. The argument for the limitation of freedoms is also an idea which has the right to express itself in a medium of free thought. The trouble starts when the argument for the limitation of freedoms imposes itself unto others, i.e. when illiberalism outlaws liberalism. (Moreover, I am pretty confident that the argument for freedom will prevail over the argument for authoritarianism in a medium of free debate.)
What I liked most in the discussion was the attitude of the students including that of Ph.D. candidate and blogger Erkan Saka, which I found quite in favor of freedom and democracy. In Turkey we are constantly reminded of the “nationalist upsurge” among the youth including university students. That is indeed an unpleasant fact, but apparently is only one side of the coin.
“O youth,” said Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, “We have founded the republic, and it is you who are going to elevate it.” Well, they could even help liberalizing it. That might not be very pleasant for the enemies of the open society, but it will be a blessing for the rest of Turkey.
Posted by Mustafa Akyol at March 17, 2007 8:07 PM
Well, obviously we agree that society should be open and free and we may both pray that this will come to pass but the mentality of the people does not in general support this. The establishment has been quite successful in "teaching" (read 'brain-washing'), the people here to believe that "difference" is suspect at best and generally down-right evil. I don't see much liberalism here either among the liberals or the conservatives. In fact, if there is anything that all sides have in common it is the idea that homogenity is good and their mission is to make everyone else think exactly like they do. Yes, practicing Muslims in Turkey face opposition from the establishment and again we may both pray that this changes but I have met only a handful of practicing Sunni Muslims (you are one) who took a liberal point of view with regard to the Bahai faith, Alevis or even Christians practicing or spreading their own ideas. I hope that your dream comes true but we have a bakery full of bread to eat if that is going to happen.
Posted by: Robert at March 18, 2007 8:57 PM
I have got , again, a few questions.
Yes, liberalism is good and urgent for our community.
Yet, are all parts of the Turkish society completely ready for liberalism with its all consequence?
Had Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and other founders of the Turkish Republic not been so jakoben, what sort of regime and state would we have lived in now (especially when we consider the conditions of post 1WW)?
Do all nations react in the same way towards some social phenomenona?
For instance do we imagine Turkish and French people as the same?
Aren't there some differences between different nations, communities, or societies in terms of some social realities?
Isn't there any prospect for misleading if we always take , you say, American or French public and their social and political reactions in the history as the unchangeable truth?
Aren't there a lot more questions when we lampoon a regime because we find it illiberal?
Are we Americans?
Are Kurds the negros of our community?
Now, whose drawbacks do surpass the other's?
Posted by: Kubilay Ant at March 19, 2007 11:21 AM
Kubilay,
What a typical example of impudent jakoben approach ! "Some people deserves democracy and freedom, and others not !"
Please re-read Akyol's article after reading Kubilay's comment. It'll help better understanding the obstacles in path of open democracy of Turkey !
All the uproar of opposing the election of Erdogan as president is for this reason. The fear is not that it'll be "the end of republic" as said so, but it'll be the end of these jakoben elites' oligarchic regime.
Can you see the frighten & rule expression hidden in these sentence? :
Intending to say that Ataturk open a path thru republic & democracy, but in a fascist way, (of course were inevitable at those circumstances). Well, this may be true. But no one can claim that after 70 years after his death we still struggle to have freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of wear, freedom of talk... Is this what Kemal Ataturk's heritage? Can you name this existing regime as "republic", or as "democratic"? I don't think so !
Ye, we're not Americans, and we're not French. We're Turkish, that ruled on 3 continents hundreds of years, with citizens from all over the world. Bulgarians, Armenians, Greeks, Jews lived happily & peacefully on these lands. They were not living as "others", Kurds were not the enemies but the real peaceful citizens of this land. Northern Iraqies that you to eradicate were the "Ottomans".
It's time for you to rethink where you jakobens gone wrong? You really need to scratch your head !
Posted by: blue at March 23, 2007 1:29 PM
Dear friend whose nickname is blue at March,
Thanks for commenting on my piece of writing.
Firstly, I have to state that I have no any fear about more liberalism and democracy in Turkey.
And I am not agree with you concerning the existing of some freedoms in Turkey such as wearing, expressing thoughts, being able to be against of the current regime.
In Turkey today, institutions and top managers of them, bureaucrats are not that secular as much as some people think.
Kurds are not disadvantegous as much as most journalists, some social environments and the whole Kurdish nationalists are firmly inclined to tell the public everyday. We might even claim that now to be a Kurd in this country is much better than to be a Turk.
The supposedly secular, Turkish nationalist, Kemalist regime which is harshly criticized cannot ban Kurds from being a really first class citizen. Their tribal, very close, nationalist features and relations with each other can very well determine their positions in the society. Are you from any part of the east or southeast of Turkey? Never mind! There is always someone who totally support you in every aspects of our current life. However, if you somehow do not have any correlation with the east, do come from the other parts of the country, then you should know this reality without any doubt that you are not advantageous as much as your Kurd friends are. That is the very reality!
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was not a fascist.
If he had been so, The Turkish Republic could not have been existing for more than eighty years.
The states the contemporaries of him established with the same time do not exist but our state does.
When we make comments on our near history, and when we strictly denounce the current regime and its falses, I think we at the same time should really know how our community has been and its all characteristics.
Posted by: Kubilay Ant at March 26, 2007 10:35 AM
Dear Kubilay,
Not fearing democracy is a good step. Go ahead ! Which you don't feel pleased, I guess ! But unfortunately, it's not true. Simply, if even prime minister is being investigated on addressing Abdullah Ocalan as 'Mister' ( http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=106120 ). It shouldn't be so hard to compare the ordinary Kurdish citizens. Only Kurds are being oppressed? Being Armenian, being Jewish, being anything but not Turk is really a problem in this country. (see Hrant Dink, Santaro etc. even further see the 'Turkish' Orhan Pamuk, Elif Şafak, İpek Çalışlar for their impudence (!) to insult Turkishness, Ataturk etc. what a great republic !) Kind of badger questions ! Is this matter for you? Seems it does ! How did you judge on this? It's your virtual reality. If the reality were said so, the terror in Turkey wouldn't last so long, is this right? what makes Kurds so angry about Turkey? Why? Tell me about it ! Is being 'existent' is a great achievement to proud on ? Well done ! How about to have a more democratic & civilized country? Naming the regime 'republic' does not make a country 'Republic' itself... China & Iran is republic, too. Tell me what makes their republic bad, and ours good? Can you get the point?Posted by: blue at March 27, 2007 3:39 PM
Dear Blue,
Languages and the meanings they convey are different from each other.
In Turkish language, when you put an adjective like "sayın" before a name, that means formally you somehow emphasize your respect for that person who has that name.
Therefore, "Mister" does not meet the term of "sayın" in my view. But respective does. Yet, it might still be questioned and is worth contemplating whether to put the word of "sayın" before a person's name should be accepted as a kind of a crime.
Thanks for commenting on my words again.
As far as I am concerned, in your last piece, you are trying to point out that Kurds are quite right to be angry about Turks by asking that "what makes Kurds so angry about Turkey?"
It may be assumed from your point that pkk is also somewhat right to fight against the Turkish army. Because it is alleging that Turkish state is depriving Kurds of having citizen rights.
To be from the east of Turkey is not matter for me. However, I think to be not from the east or the southeast of Turkey, in other words to be not a Kurdish, is really a matter for everybody in Turkey right now. I have got logical reasons and tenets to think in this way. Well, of course you might say "it's your virtual reality". Does not what you were commenting on my words completely depend on your virtual reality too? So, everybody has his own virtual reality for some reason.
That "Kurds are completely right for being angry about Turks" is your own virtual reality as well.
"China and Iran is republic too". Well, I have never cited that a republic is stark enough for goodness and peace of the citizens (actually i would not expect you to give Iran as a sort of bad example, this is a good point for you!). However, that the conditions for citizens in Turkey and the level of democracy we have been experiencing for eighty four years are extremely better than that of China and Iran is very clear. And of course Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is the one who contributed the best for this process.
Best regards.
Posted by: Kubilay Ant at March 28, 2007 7:51 AM
Dear Kubilay,
You don't understand my point. I'm trying to say that regime is monkeying with 'intentions'. Even prime minister is being accused of supporting Kurds, as critisizing on saying that 'government have done a lot of wrong upto now, of not recognizing the Kurdish etnisity and not respecting their rights'. Defending the rights of people doesn't make people traitor, as your mentality often say so. Disputing on the word 'sayın' seems ‘stupid’ for me, I'm not gonna contribute your argument. Another typical 'readmyintention' sentence ! I intent to say what I clearly say... Kurdish people are very right to be angry to government, doesn't mean pkk is also right. But rather it means, the pkk is nothing but the product of the anger created by the regime. Not a nice product of course! If a factory production line is producing always defects, you need to consider the overall machine instead of scrapping and muttering. Yes, pkk have to be scrapped anyhow, but defected products keep on coming, you also need to consider the operation of the main machine. .. (actually i would not expect you to give Iran as a sort of bad example, this is a good point for you!) Iran is the best example for comparison. The totalitarian molla regime is very similar one of Turkey’s. There mollas, here bureaucrats... Even, as their not achieving to hang their ‘elected’ prime minister as we did is an extra point. I guess it was not virtual, was that?Posted by: blue at March 28, 2007 2:20 PM
Dear Blue,
I hope we will take some lessons from our opinions.
Reread this sentence above "Yet, it might still be questioned and is worth contemplating whether to put the word of "sayın" before a person's name should be accepted as a kind of a crime."
that means it should not be a crime.
Farewell...
Posted by: Kubilay Ant at March 29, 2007 2:42 PM
The most reliable sources of information about Turkey still belong to the State! Please show me a source other than the State Institute of Statistics (TUIK) from which I can learn this simple bit of information: imports of consumer goods are drastically reduced in years 2005- . Because of the monopoly in mass-media, even the "Consumers' Big Brother Erkan" (a columnist) cannot mention this matter of fact which does hurt even people not interested in politics.
Posted by: Murat Aygen at November 29, 2007 2:29 PM
I'm not astonished when Popper once said "Oxford has got 1000 philosophers but zero philosophy", and please do not remark if I’ve not quoted the exact statement or - even worse - if the essence of this quote doesn't exactly get through your head when not being 152,... something something per cent in accordance with the English grammar. But instead, my friend, do use some intuition to understand the sour taste of that critique and how well it describes the monstrous producing machine of academic subtle rubbish the university, mainly the academic culture, has become and, off course, in the favour for the rhetoric of power...
You make interesting conclusions, but the less meaningful they get when you can't put the analysis in context with current issue, as with case of the Kurdish question.
I assume you know well Turkish, and therefore recommend you and other who may read this post, to read the prison writing of Mister (*Sayin*) Abdullah Öcalan, whose got a philosophy, rather the PKK is a kind of perspective, but indeed a philosophy, if folks wonders what they do up in those ancient mountains of Mesopotamia...
Posted by: Raperin Cizire Botan at February 20, 2008 5:15 PM
Botan,
All the PKK are doing in the 'ancient mountains of Mesopotamia' is hiding from Turkish bombs. Soon they will be begging our warriors for their lifes. Instead of preaching for them, you should pray that God forgives them. Once that snow melts, it will be a no mercy policy towards them. Kurds and Turks alike look forward to their end.
Philosophy? Are you having a laugh? These idiots want to turn Kurdish society upside down.What you call philosophy is a social engineering project for the Kurds of Turkey. It is a sociological aspiration far detached from reality. Indeed, the writings of that nutcase remind me of 'Mein kampf' by Adolf Hitler.
Why is ocalan and PKK philosophy so far removed from the realities of Kurdish society? Simply because Ocalan and PKK are no longer part of that Kurdish society, he is confined to Imrali and the PKK to caves in the mountains. How could their ideas be realistic or contemporary!?
Indeed, the PKK 'philosophy' is the number one reason why Kurdish men leave the PKK. The feminist extremism and marxist doctrines (amonst many other features) do not make sense in today's world, especially the Kurdish one.
Posted by: Ceyhan at February 21, 2008 2:59 PM
So then,Ceyhan, wasn't it newly reported that a cobra-helicopter was shut down, and the commando bases of the turkish forces, according to the latest news, had to retreat while the kurdish guerilla HPG (People´s Defence Forces) easely had them surrendered?... In difference to the occupation forces TSK and the landtroops, the kurds knows their mountains...
Do never uderestimate your enemy and while Popper is at the agenda here, would it not be nice to see the obvious, and if i might judge clumsy media of Turkey, while they are only aloud to repport news about the war from the turkish military staff, somehow, thinks they can purge the reality behind all those coffins, the turkish families recieve at home...
I love to watch turkish tv, with the the digital turkish flag waying as the background of the anchor, and then he/she saying "everything for the country", "our heroic soldiers" etc...
the whole concept of reporting news has from what, in the Western blue eyed-point, should stand for "neutral" or at least, a "objective" stance, has become the most efficient tool to control the people, directly from the source (if we should call it source)of the turkish military staff of generel.
Maybe you remember the POW incident in fall, when turkish media - yes, the generel staff - directly deny the fact of the HPG-guerilla forces capturing eight turkish soldiers, the turkish media continued to deny this even when the POW's got released in live broadcast of Roj Tv.
Well, i hope you read Yeni Özgur Gundem, or the Firad News Agency, they are the only agents who has their correspondents at the war zone, if off course the death of people bothers you...
And, about the feminist part of the PKK perspective, you're da*** right men would not handle the level of discipline in the guerilla with the kurdish women carrieng the heviest load, i myself, a kurdish female youth, want to emphasize the revolutionary mentality the leader Sayin Öcalan has made of the liberation movement.
Posted by: Raperin Cizire Botan at March 1, 2008 10:29 AM
Yesterday, in Habur border gate, TIR drivers get into action to defend their acquisitions, namely their right of free trade donated by The Holy British Empire via the Baltalimani Trade Act of 1838. No news agency other than State Radio and Television (TRT) has passed this bit of information that may prove to be as important as the rebellion of Chilean drivers that ended up with the overthrowing of President Salvador Allende.
Posted by: Murat Aygen at May 4, 2009 10:47 AM
I have posted previously in another post here on this blog. Ataturk did the nation of turkey a heroic service in the establishment of the proud and noble republic of turkey. His efforts and struggles for us, the children of Anatolia to have a sovereign nation will be remembered through out history. unfortunately the greedy and self serving elite, the guarantors of his ideology conveniently chose to create and maintain a repressive state where everybody must conform. Well the use by date on their form of democracy was up in 1950. to argue if the current constitution and political system is the best system available for turkey in this day and age is in my opinion ludicrous. When you look at France, Germany, italy, Holand and Belgium. personaly my opinion is that none of those countries have the resources to compete with Turkey. England as Germany was bancrupt as a result of world war 2. So why is it that when these nations industry, wealth and population were totally decimated as a result of WW2 in less than 60 years have they become richer and freer than Turkey. I believe because these countries chose a political system that was continuously evolving with one purpose and that was to empower and serve its citizens because only through empowering the citizens of a nation can that nation become wealthy. The reason turkey comes second to these nations even though turkey didn't have to deal with the devastating effects of WW2 is that it disenfranchised its majority and made the citizens see each other as a threat. It created a elite group who deeply entrenched corruption into the system and had a status of being in the right even if they were in the wrong. Their wealth made them right all the time so they were untouchable. It pit us against each other instead of seeing the Turks with Greek heritage as just that we seen them the same as Greeks from Athens. we seen the alevis as Iranian implants that want to take over our system we seen the kurds as not worthy of being civilized. as a result we are still the sick man of Europe. I have watched from inside turkey and outside of turkey for 40 years and all i have seen is a continuous list of threats to the state whether it be anarchists religious zealots or Kurdish communists, there has always been one constant an enemy from within. Go to America and have a good look, do you really think that they are a uniform people in ethnicity or ideology. they have the most religious fundamentalists in the world and some even get on TV and spend 1 hour evangelizing. they have terrorists plotting to take down the government. they have white supremacists continuously stirring up racial hatred. here in Australia where i live they have religious sects/cults and anarchists. my own brother in law is such a christian fundamentalist that he makes O.bin laden look like a angel. He professes hatred to all people we would call Christians, he sees them as traitors who should be eradicated immediately without mercy. he see us Muslims as allies in his cause. As long as these people only think this and dont act on their beliefs its not a problem but in turkey to think different is a crime. We need proper democracy DERHAL!!!!!
To Raperin Cizire Botan
Obviously you believe that armed struggle through terrorism is allowable even when there are facilities to bring about change through the political system you believe that terrorism is justified by the cause. You need to have children and a life. maybe then you will understand the cruel and unjustified pain and misery that terrorism inflicts on INNOCENT people. you come onto a Turkish blog and you call the TSK occupation forces (obviously the act of a very educated and civilized person). can you enlighten me as to which part of turkey are we occupying or did you mean N Iraq where as far as i know its not the Turkish army that is paroling the streets its the Kurdish provisional gov with its peshmerga. You quote a mouth piece of an international recognized terrorist group and you expect us to believe you and take you seriously. Please go back to your mountains and continue to listen to the terrorist propaganda, but above all do not use the political system to gain your rights within turkey. that would be pure stupidity when you can continue the terrorism and the killing of hard working genuine and simple people who have no quarrel with you. If only you could look into the eyes of the 5 year old child that the PKK blow up and be able to ask her what her political thoughts were. then tell me her death was justified. If the PKK chose the political system and renounced terrorism i believe within 10 years they would have the support of many of the people of Anatolia. Every citizen of Turkey deserves equality irrelevant of their ethnicity or beliefs, but the moment that terrorism is employed you lose all of your rights not just in turkey but internationally. You become a first degree murderer of the worst kind. Just saying it as it is.
Posted by: Kenan at May 5, 2009 12:12 PM