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ePaper created 2014-11-09, 13:16:45 | version 1.33.00
Reproduced by Australian Atatürk Cultural Centre Inc. 22 Although Atatürk’s views as to how the Turkish people and administrators and citizens the world over should conduct themselves may seem to bear the utopian features of wishful thinking, it should not be forgotten that through his reforms he removed the obstacles which prevented rational thinking and the development of the individual. He cleared and paved the way for future generations of Turks to undertake research to discover the as yet unravelled secrets of history, sociology, nature and the universe. Unlike certain other thinkers and political leaders of recent times, he did not transgress scientific limits in order to bring into play his own dogmatic interpretation of the universe. The rationale he cited in respect of his reforms is intended to enable those who search for new scientific facts in every field to work free of rigid beliefs in a peaceful land where solidarity prevails. New generations working in such an environment should be able to discover new ways and methods for building the country and the world he envisaged. The people in the West who were exposed to the Renaissance and who subsequently went through a variety of experiences before reaching their current state of development are, on the whole, free individuals who have identified themselves with the requirements of the secular way of thinking and whose personalities have developed, making them capable of thinking for themselves and making their own decisions. Generally speaking, people outside the West lack such a personality and are unable to emancipate themselves from patronage. Whereas they aspire to use such words as "freedom" and "independence" they do not quite understand the true meaning of these words and inwardly crave for a patriarchal government which would think and decide on their behalf as well as a rigid doctrine which would impose upon them an indisputable interpretation of life and the world in general. As Turkey has not, as yet, completed the reform stage, a section of her population has, similarly, sought asylum in the Sharia, Fascism or Communism. It should be well understood that Atatürkism is not a type of thinking which can satisfy pathological needs of this kind. As a matter of fact, therein lies its great superiority over beliefs and doctrines, which create systems of patronage. Although Atatürkism is no sinecure, it gives the individual responsibilities whilst providing him with liberty and self-respect and is something, which, through the development of the individual's talents, enables society to renovate itself continually and keep its creative capabilities fresh. As is well known, it was the translation of the Bible into various languages which made it possible for all people to understand what the holy book really said on different subjects, and this triggered off the development of thinking and scientific research in the West. By having the call to prayer and sermons translated into Turkish, Atatürk lifted the constraints imposed on free thought by beliefs congested with superstition. In this way and through his other reforms, he initiated the renaissance in Turkey.