PDF Dosyası - Ankara Üniversitesi Kitaplar Veritabanı

THE RELEVANCE OF KEMAL ATATÜRK IN THETURKEY OF THE FUTUREProf. Gerrit OLIVIER*History teaches us the fragility of structures dependent on individuals.(l)Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's living legacy in Turkey defıes the vvisdomof this general historical phenomenon. indeed, he was one of thevery few 20th century political leaders vvho left a legacy, vvhich survivedand remained relevant long after they had left the scene. Atatürk created anevv reality. His legacy to modern Turkey is that of a political and constitutionalfounding father as it vvas his single-minded determination, perseverance,fearless leadership, and above ali historical insight and vvisdom,that led to the birth and development of a redefined national, political,and cultural identity of the Turkish people. He vvas simultaneously soldier,statesman and prophet vvho absorbed himself in both methodologyand purpose. These qualities help to explain his uniqueness as a reformervvhose success as state- and nation-builder is virtually unparallelled in the20th century. The fact that some sixty years after his death his politicallegacy stili remains a dominating force Turkey, shovvs that he vvas no dictatorialusurper of povver, but a national leader vvhose vision of the futurevvas in harmony vvith the deeply felt aspirations of the Turkish people.For these reasons, Kemal Atatürk vvill be remembered and revered as thefounding father of modern Turkey.Of course, change and adaptation to nevv circumstances are the indispensableingredients of the political dynamics of any modern state, notonly for the sake of survival but also for the sake of a better future. Toadapt to nevv circumstances is, therefore, an imperative prescribed by thenational interest, and in the modern democratic state it is almost routinepolitical behaviour to constantly test and revise the relevance of the existingorder of things. Turkey is no exception. its history confırms that it is arather restless nation, constantly in a state of flux and fermentation. AsTurkey stands at the brink of the nevv millennium, and vvith the terribleexperience of the Cold War behind us, the relevance and immutability ofCentre for European Studies in Africa, Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg.701