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dispassionate manner some further light to the long term significance ofthe achievements of Kemal.The stature of Kemal Atatürk dominates modern Turkey and thesame can be said for the influence of the Kemalist ideology in presenttimes. The six principles contained in the first proclamation of the People'sRepublican Party, form the gist of that ideology. They act as guidinglines in the Constitution and serve political options made by TurkishGovernments. It is obvious that Turkey vvas and will remain "kemalist",although the need for a revision of the official doctrine is manifest, andthe requirements for modernisation are always persent.Among the six principles vve can distinguish those vvhich basicallyneed not to be altered, namely those confirming the republican characterof the state, its popular foundation (halkçılık), vvhich confırms the sovereigntyof the people, and that of the secular state, vvhich denotes the definitive separation of religion from state affairs. The question may be putvvhether the remaining three principles should not, for the sake oef thebest interests of Turkey, undergo a revision. In this respect one couldname the principle of nationalism, insofar it points to a total homogenisationof ethnic, cultural, religious and other distinct features of the Turkishsociety and to what was believed should be a uniform frame oef nationalityor nationhood. The next would be the principle of "statetism" (or "etatism"),insofar it rejects generally accepted models of development in theframe of a liberal economy, and fınally the principle of reforms, whichlacks suffıcient precision.The last remarks should not be seen as spreading seeds of doubt onthe kemalist doctrine. It is notevvorthy that the doctrine itself determinesthat its components are far from static or frozen, and should be seen asapt to renewal, while preserving ali their vitality 1 . In that spirit should beseen some laudable attempts advocating for the revision of the initial conceptof nationhood, by vvhich it was suggested that a monolithic and compactTurkish nation should succeed to the previous amalgam of ethnic, religiousand cultural elements, which was characteristic of the socialpattern of the Ottoman state. These diverse elements, it vvas thought, retaineda large degree of autonomy, incompatible with the idea of a centralistnational state, vvhich Kemal Atatürk imposed by his svveeping reforms.Against a structurally centralised state, to which total allegianceby ali citizens vvas expected, there vvas no room for the religious internationalismpropagated by islam to flourish and for that same reason, neitherof much freedom for social and economic distinction and "cohabitation"of non Turkish ethnic minorities.1. See Athanase E. Paresoglou, "The Turkish Political System", in "Turkey Today", Ed.(in Greek) ELIAMEP and I Sideris, 1995.560