AAKM-UNIVERSALITY-OF-ATATURKS-PHILOSOPHY

Reproduced by Australian Atatürk Cultural Centre Inc. 11 into feeling and then into conviction. Once this transformation has occurred it cannot be shaken by any other argument or proposition.15 Gentlemen! When personal ambition and in-fighting among responsible statesmen of a nation reach such proportions that they take precedence over the lofty sentiments required by national and patriotic duties, then the country in question cannot escape disintegration and will perish. There can be no doubt that all of you who are the true representatives of our nation will always refrain from such unbecoming behaviour. The feelings of brotherhood and solidarity prevailing in your high assembly as well as your patriotic sentiments will then naturally spread among the people in their entirety and they will remain under the influence of these feelings.16 The truest guides for everything in the world, for civilisation, for life and success are science and technology. It is necessary throughout our lives to keep abreast of advances and developments in science and technology. We must keep track of such progress on a daily basis.17 The Principles of Democracy and Sovereignty Irrespective of whoever exercises sovereignty, the nation has to remain its guardian. Let us briefly clarify this point. Democracy is essentially political in nature. It is not a social welfare scheme, nor is it a system of economics. And democracy is not a matter of economic prosperity either. To think so would be tantamount to appeasing the people’s claim to political liberties. Democracy, as we understand it, is essentially something political. Its objective is to ensure political freedom through supervision of the administrators by the people. There is one other characteristic of democracy, which goes together with the first one. Democracy is closely linked to thinking; it is a matter of the mind not a matter of the stomach. The principle of democratic government calls for love of justice and for ethical thinking. Democracy signifies love of one’s country. At the same time it is both paternal and maternal. Democracy is basically individualistic. This is characterised by the citizen as an individual participating in the process of sovereignty. Finally, democracy favours equality. This is a logical consequence of the individualistic character of democracy. All individuals naturally enjoy the same political rights. The principle of public and equal vote comes from democracy’s individualistic and egalitarian character.18 The foremost duty and, at the same time, the most sacred right of the citizen in his right to vote.19 If ignorance prevails in our country, then it prevails just as much amongst men as it does amongst women. Our women should be even more enlightened, more highly cultured and better informed than our men. As long as our women maintain virtuous standards of behaviour whilst at the same time they share our lives and participate in

AAKM-UNIVERSALITY-OF-ATATURKS-PHILOSOPHY

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