Kadro and Kemalizm: A search for ideology in the early 1930s

Abstract

1930`lar in Başında Bir İdeoloji Arayışı by Mustafa Uğur DALAK `Kadro siyasal, iktisadi ve sosyal görüşleriyle Kemalist ideoloji üzerinde etkili mi oldu; yoksa tek parti rejiminin siyasal hedeflerinin gerçekleşmesinde Kemalizmin bir aracı olarak mı kullanıldı` argümanı bu çalışmanın anahtar sorusunu oluşturuyor. 1930'ların başında Marksizm, milliyetçilik ve faşizmi yüzeysel bir sentezle buluşturan Kadro'cu felsefe ile, 1920'lerden itibaren radikal/pragmatik bir ideoloji olarak gelişen Kemalist ideolojinin bağdaşan noktaları popülizm kavramının teorik çerçevesi içinde çözümleniyor.

A Search For Ideology in the Early 1930s by Mustafa Uğur DALAK The primary reason for the present research questioned whether the political, economic and social philosophy of Kadro influenced Kemal ism, or Kemal ism used Kadro to implement the political directions of the single party regime at its inception. Kadro ' s philosophy which may be defined as a superficial combination of Marxism, nationalism and fascism was expounded in the early 1930s by a group of radical intellectual. Kadro ' s theses and its problematical relationship with Kemal ism (which it was developed as a modernizing pragmatic ideology emanated from the Tanzimat era) were treated within a theoretical approach using the conceptual framework of populism, modernisation and co- optation. Populist policy of Kemal ism in the 1930s was for a classless and united society within the single party regime as state capitalism, namely etatism was stillbeing maintained. Kadro was attempting to combine the post-revolutionary anti-imperialist and capitalist rhetoric of the 1920s with the populism of 1930s. The claim of Kadro in 1932 is to contribute to the reproduction of the Kemalist ideology and put it into a mature (doctrinaire) form. This contribution was a 'peculier hybrid' of Kemal ism, in other words a kind of endeavour to give a strict `authoritarian/totalitarian` mixture of a socialist-fascist form to it. However, Kemalist leaders did not want any ideology other than that of their own. Moreover, Kadro ' s very strong anti- West/liberal leanings in both political, cultural and economic aspect were not compatible with the Kemalist prospects. Therefore, it is not possible to assume that Kadro had influenced the Kemalist single party regime. With these stances it is difficult to imagine that Kadro could have been tolerated by Atatürk. The reason why Kadro ' s cessation was dealt with comprehensively between Kadro and the ruling Kemalist elite was to show the enermous disparity in their views on political revolution, ideology and civilization. In order to understant the closure of Kadro hermeneautical interpretation was used to analyse the relevant data, including Atatürk' s message, published in Kadro. Furthermore, relevant parts of Yakup Kadri 's book named `Zoraki Diplomat` and the interview with Ismail Htisrev, was also used.