ATATÜRK'S APPROACH OF NATIONALISM

Abstract

The Military Academy years coincided with the days when the national identity of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became evident and the consciousness of Turkishness reached the highest level. In the days when Atatürk was, a student at the Military Academy, works translated from foreign languages began to be read. A conscience and belief in the superiority of foreign nations began to emerge among those who read these translated works. In Atatürk, who read foreign works as well as Turkish works, a national citizen conscience developed instead of forming a conscience that foreign nations were superior to them. In order to express the contrary opinion of Atatürk's contemporaries and the superiority of the Turkish nation of which he is a member; “There is no nation in the world that is bigger, older or cleaner than it, and it has never been seen in the entire history of humanity.”

While establishing the Republic of Turkey, Atatürk took care to create a sense of national identity and wanted to strengthen this sense of the Turkish nation. While addressing his soldiers at the front and his citizens during peace days, he frequently emphasized the Turkish nation. While Atatürk was trying to create a national identity in the Turkish nation, he wanted the concepts he expressed to be well understood. Atatürk complained that although some words were pronounced frequently, there were few people who understood even among the intellectuals. The words nation and nationalism have also taken their place among these words. Turkish nationalism, forms the basis of Atatürk's understanding of nationalism; He said, "The people of Turkey, who founded the Turkish Republic, are called the Turkish nation." Atatürk's understanding of nationalism was seen in all areas of social and economic life. In this study, Atatürk's Nationalism Understanding will be discussed by examining Atatürk's speeches and actions.