The Most D em ocratic Im p e ria l P rin ce
in Ottoman H is to r y
PRIS GB SABAHADDIN
GR 2A.T THEÎK^R QS NATIONAL AND INTOTATIONAL APPAIRS
The Most Democrat l o Im p eria l P rin ce in Ottoman H is to r y
PRINCE SABAHADDÎN,
GREAT THÎNHBR ON NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAÎRS
One o f ray American fr ie n d s ,w h o had the p le a su re o f b ein g
a cq u a in ted w ith P rin ce Sabahaddin rem arked," The most rem arkable a s p e c t o f h i s c h a r a c te r i s h is u n f a il in g d e v o tio n t o the cause o f the common nan and h is h e r o ic s tr u g g le f o r the em ancipation o f Ottoman s u b je c ts from th e d esp otism o f the R oya l fa m ily t o which he b e lo n g s by b i r t h ' . In f a c t , in alm ost ev ery cou n try the r e b e l l i o n a g a in s t r o y a l despotism has been s t a r t e d and su pported by the p e r s e c u te d c la s s r a th e r than by
th e son o f th e r o y a l fa m ily . T h e r e fo r e ,P r in c e Sabahaddin i s unique in O r ie n ta l h i s t o r y , p ro b a b ly in the h i s t o r y o f mankind.
A lthough he was a g re a t advocate o f democracy and an eminent le a d e r i n o f the r e v o lu t io n a r y movement c a l l e d Young Turks in Europe during Sultan Abdul-Hamld*s r e ig n ,h is o u tsta n d in g p e r s o n a lit y cannot be e x p la in e d s o l e l y as a g re a t reform er o r a f r i e n d o f the p e rs e cu te d and op p ressed p e o p le o f h is c o u n tr y . P rin ce Sabahaddin had an unusual
a b i l i t y in s c ie n c e which secu red him a wide knowledge in t h is f i e l d , He a l s o had the rem arkable t a le n t which on abled him t o in t e g r a t e a l l data in t o a c o n c is e and i n t e l l i g i b l e s y n t h e s is . He was fa s c in a t e d by the bea u ty o f the s c ie n c e s o f in e r t m atter but n ev er was en sla v ed by them. In th e same way he in v e s t ig a t e d the s o c i a l and s p i r i t u a l r e l a t io n s h ip s o f man w ith a s c i e n t i f i c mind. He was f u l l y co n v in ce d th at th ere are n a tu r a l laws w hich govern our s o c i a l and s p i r i t u a l b e i$ g . T h e r e fo r e ,h is o p p o s it io n t o the d e s p o t ic r u le o f Sultan Abdul-Hamid was f a r from b e in g a m erely sen tim en ta l h a tre d .
To estim a te the r e a l valu e o f P rin ce Sabahaddin * s
c o n t r ib u t io n t o the h is t o r y o f Turkey,we must g la n ce back t o tho day in 1877 when an Im p e ria l P r in ce s s ,S e n ih a S u lta n ,ga v e b i r t h t o a baby b oy . H is fa t h e r ,a n eminent th in k e r ,g ra n d vozir,Mahmoud Pasha,
rmv© the baby th e unusual name " Sabahaddinr which means "Dawn o f R e l ig i o n " . The l i t t l e P r in c e ’ s g ra n d fa th e r, Sultan A bdul-M edjid, was one o f th e most b e lo v e d r u le r s o f the Empire. When he ascended tbs th rone in 1 8 59 ,he r e a l i s e d the g r e a t need o f reform in h is
co u n try . T h erefore he prom ulgated the "H a tt i Htmayun GUlhane" g ra n tin g a l l h is s u b je c t s f u l l r e l i g i o u s and c i v i l e q u a lit y and p r o v id in g
s e c u r it y o f l i f e and p r o p e r ty t o a l l ,w i t h ju s t and equal t a x a t io n . He r e o r g a n iz e d t^ o a r r a y ,e s ta b lid ie d a new m in is tr y o f e d u ca tio n ,a n d founded a modern u n iv e r s it y w ith m e d ica l, a g r ic u lt u r a l and en g in eerin g
s c h o o ls . S lave tr a d in g was r e p r e s s e d and the econom ic c o n d it io n o f th e Empire g r e a t ly im proved. Some o f the fa n a tic a l-m in d e d p e o p le were n o t p le a s e d w ith th ese reform s and fou g h t them f u r i o u s l y . Attem pts were made on the S u lta n ’ s l i f e , b u t A bdul-M edjid fo rg a v e
P rin ce Sabahsd&ln, b o m and brouf^it up in a b e a u t i f u l r o y a l p a la c e on th e ohoroo o f th e B o s p h o ru s ,in h e r ite d h is g ra n d f oth er* s n o b le c h a r a c t e r and a sons© o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r r e o r g a n iz in g h i s cou n try by d o n o o r a tlo m ethods. Meanafoilo ho was under th e in flu e n c e o f I lls fa t h e r ,t h o n th e M in is te r o f J u s t ic e , wko had spent most o f h i s you th in P a r is , In th o Ottoman m$>te8y, and who had a f u l l m astery o f French no w e ll as A ra b ic and P ersia n lit e r a t u r e * H is d ev oted
m t h o r ,t h o Im p eria l p r in c e s s Scnlha S u lta n , In ste a d o f r e a r in g h er sons in th o l e i s u r e l y O rie n ta l fa s h io n , su p p orted w ith a l l h e r n ig h t h er husbands e x c e p t io n a lly p r o g r e s s iv e e d u c a tio n a l program f o r ids© young P r in c e s ,
Tho p a la c e in w hich th ey l i v e d , a m a sterp iece o f a r c h it e c t u r e , was tu rn ed in t o a p r iv a t e u n iv e r s it y * T utors from d i f f e r e n t p a r t s o f F ra n co,a s w e ll as eminent T u rk ish ,P e rsia n and A ra b ic fcoachcra,w oro r e s p o n s ib le f o r t h e i r ed u cation * W hile t h e i r music and a r t te a ch e r s wore d is c o v e r in g e x c e p t io n a l t a le n t in the younger P r in ce X n tfu lla h , th e s c ie n c e to u ch e rs wore a s to n is h e d a t P r in ce Sabahaddin * s ready g ra sp o f p h y s ic s , ch e m istry , a stro rw o y , b i o l o g y nnd p h y s io lo g y .
P rin ce SabtdmMIn, w h ile ho was y e t in Ills te e n s , c o lla b o r a t e d w ith h is fa th e r ,w h o was d e fe n d in g h is countrymen*o r i $ i t a g a in s t
th o d e s p o t ic n d o r ,S u l t a n Abdul-Hsmld I I , t h o son o f th e v e ry p r o g r e s s iv e nindod and k in d ho r t o d S u lta n A M ul-M edJId. At th o b eg in n in g o f h is r e ig n S ultan Abdnl-Harald and h is b r o t h e r -in -la w wore s in c e r e f r i e n d s . But as t i n e went on th e ba piro became n c i r c l o d by esp ion a ge and
b r ib e r y . Mahmoud Pasha,who m s t o o h on est and t o o d em ocra tic t o t o l e r a t e t ills s it u a t io n * d e c id e d t o le a v e h is co u n try ,a n d h is home. Taking w ith him M s two s o n s ,h e went t o P r ls where ho bocano the
lo a d e r o f th e Young Turks movement in Europe in December 1899.
a s soon as Mahmoud Pasha and th o r o y a l P r in ce s l o f t the
co u n try , a l l t h e i r p e rs o n a l roporfcy in Turkey was c o n f is c a t e d in
o rd e r t o coot>©11 then t o g iv e up t h e i r s tr u g g le and t o beg pardon from th o S u lta n . But n e it h e r Malmood Pasha n o r h is sons gave up t h e i r
c o a a o le o o s t r u g g le , Thoy se n t s e v e r a l mossagos t o the t y r a n n ic a l Sultan im p lo rin g ka liln t o grant l i b e r t y and e q u a lity t o a l l Ottoman s u b je c t s . They p u b lis h e d newspapers and distaklbutod th en th ro u ^ io u t th o huge ita p lro t o encourage p e o p le t o form n o p p o s it io n t o the d e s p o t ic s u lt a n . T heir d a rin g f l i g h t t o Europe arou sed a s in c e r e in t e r e s t in s id e a s w e ll as o u ts id e th e Ottoman imp I r e . At th a t tim e the Young Turks in -n ropo w ore composed m ostly o f m iddle c l a s s
p o o p lo and young u n iv e r s it y stu d e n ts, s p e c i a l l y stu don to from tho m edica l c o l l e g e . Because they wore members o f th o Irrp e ria l fa m ily , th o in d ig n a tio n o f Mahmoud Pasha and h is sons tow ard th o S u ltan arouood a oSnooro r e s p e c t and a d m iration f o r th o oauso o f th o Young Turk* m v m o n t . The p e rs e c u te d p e o p le o f th e E n tire wore
in s p ir e d w ith a new f a i t h in t h e i r s a lv a tio n * The European n a tio n s f e l t o e n fid o n o e in th o g re a t s t r u g g le o f th e T u rkish p a t r i o t s .
;verybody m s n t h u s ia o t ic e x ce p t th o S ultan and h is t y r a n n ic a l co-w ork er B.
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-Mahmoud Pasha "became th e symbol o f n a t io n a l s a lv a t io n in Europe. He r e c e iv e d thousands o f l e t t e r s from h is countrymen who t r i e d t o e x p ress t h e i r g r a titu d e t o him f o r d efen d in g t h e i r r i g h t s . Throughout t h i s tim e P rin ce Sabahaddin was a c t i v e l y in t e r e s t e d in h is fa t h e r * s h e r o ic s t r u g g le s ,b u t h© was n o t s a t i s f i e d w ith th e
program o f th e Young Turks r e v o lu t io n a r y movement, the s o le aim o f whieh was t o dethrone the d e s p o t ic r u l e r and secu re a c o n s t it u t io n . He asked h im s e lf. "Who gave th e Sultan the r ig h t t o r u le a b s o lu t e ly o v e r 3 5 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 p o p u la tio n ? Why c o u ld n ’ t such a r u le r come in t o power in S w itze rla n d , E ngland,Scandinavia and, e s p e c i a l l y ,t h e U nited S ta tes o f Am erica?”
Then he p o r c ie v e d th a t the r e a l cause o f the tra g ed y in the Ottoman a s p ire was no# th e p resen ce o f a d e s p o t ic r u le r ,b u t the
30c i a l system in th e Empire which c r e a te d d e s p o t ic r u l e r s . P rin ce
Sabahaddin s tu d ie d many s o c i o l o g i c a l p u b lic a t io n s seek in g a s a t i s f a c t o r y s o lu t io n t o th e problem . One d a y ,a ft e r many f e v e r i s h d is c u s s io n s
w ith th e Young Turk3 ,he was w alking a lo n g a P a ris avenue when a t i t l e in the window o f a bookshop caught h is ey e , A q u o! t l o n t l a s u n e r io r it o des An.ilo—Saxons ? . He bought the b o o k ,h u rr ie d t o TUs h o t e l end“”reac[ i t from c o v e r t o c o v e r . Then he went back t o
the bookshop t o buy e v e ry th in g he c o u ld f i n d by the same au th or, Edmond D em olin,and o th o r s o f th e same s c h o o l o f th ou gh t. Edmond Demolln * s A -t -o n i n t o r e t a s ’ omnarordn p o u v o lr? and Loon P o in s a r d 's La croduotion T T o I r a v a i l o t l o nrobleme s o e i a l dans ton s le_3 pa^ps
debiit “ m iO s l o c l e a t t r a c t e d the young P r in c e ’ s a t t e n t io n i l^ ie n s c T y . Til© au th ors o f th e se b o o k s ,t h e ir c o lla b o r a t o r s ondcl the
E co le des R och es,on e o f th e f i r s t p r o g r e s s iv e s c h o o ls in Par i s , where La S cie n ce S o c ia le has been ta u g h t, soon became v e ry good f r ie n d s o ' P rin ce Sabahaddin. Ho was made e x ce e d in g ly happy by the d is c o v e r y o f s c i e n t i f i c methods w hich c o u ld be u sed in in v e s t ig a t in g s o c i a l problem s.
The fou n d er o f t h i s new s c h o o l o f th o u g h t,F r e d e ric l e P la y , was a French m ining e n g in e e r, who on s e e in g th e e v i l s o f the French
s o c i a l system d u rin g th e R e v o lu tio n d e c id e d t o be a s o c i a l en gin eer in s te a d o f a m ining m e . He t r a v e l le d from 2B30 t o 1848 14 the
Balkan c o u n t r ie s ,i n Horway and in the U ral m ountains. He c o l l e c t e d more th r e e hundred fa m ily c a s e s ,b e c a u s e he was co n v in ce d th a t
l i k e atoms in i n e r t m atter and c o l l s in b i o l o g i c a l sp ecim en s,th e
s im ile s t u n it o f th e s o c i a l w o rld i s th e fa m ily . The e n e r g e t ic m ining en gin eer c l a s s i f i e d h is d a ta ,fo u n d v a lu a b le s c i e n t i f i c know ledge, and p u b lis h e d h is famous b ook s, Les o u v r le r s o u ro p o o n s,Les o u v r le r o s
des deux nondcs and La r o fo r r p s o c i a l e on F ran ce. A ft e r h i s death hTs“ n otS od c, c a l l e d La“l> c io n c o S o c ia le ,w e r e taken and advanced and put i n t o a more m eth od ica l form by h is f o l l o w e r s , the most famous o f w hich were iakxrx Henry do T o u r v ille , Edmond Demolln3 and Paul des Camps.
T his s c ie n c e i s an e x a ct s c ie n c e l i k e any o th e r on© and i t e x p la in s th e n a tu r a l laws which govern the s o c i a l r e la t io n s h ip s o f im nkind, and makes i t p o s s ib le t o dia gn ose the causes w hich have r e s u lt e d in the r u in o f n a tio n a f t e r n a t io n .
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So s tr o n g was the Fi’ Ino© * s b e l i e f in th e s c i e n t i f i c method o f s o c i a l r e s e a r c h th a t ho fin a n c e d s t u d io s In Germany end in g la a d f o r the purpose o f com paring s o c i a l c o n d it io n s in the two c o u n tr ie s * F or a tim e he a l s o fin a n c o d the p u b lic a t io n in Turkish a s w e ll as in French o f La S cie n ce S o c ia l© , th e organ o f h is id e a s »and a t h is own
expense sen t stu d en ts abroad t o study s o c i a l m ethods. He then a n a lysed tho in t e r n a l problem s o f th e Ottoman ¿spire w ith th e e x p e rie n c e he had secu red through La S cie n ce Social© *
Tho v a s t co u n try , sp rea d o u t on th r e e c o n t in e n t s , had a h irjhly c o n t r a ila o d government w itliou t l o c a l , s t a t e , t o m o r c i t y o r g a n !r a t io n . A l l th e p ro v in c e s o f th e i r e , from the b o r d e r o f th e A u stro-H m g a ria n s t a t e s t o th e F e r a l n G u lf,fr o m th o Caucasus EWimtaina t o the M editerranean shore in A lg e r ia , an . a ^ ir e w ith every
v a r ie t y o f c lim a te and r i c h n a tu r a l rese tire o n , wore r u le d by d e cr e e o f th o S u lta n who had r o p r o o o n t a t iv e n ,V a lia , in each p r o v in c e . Ho r e p r e s e n t a t iv e had th e power t o adapt th e laws t o th e needs o f h is p r o v in c e ,b u t was o a r p o llo d t o rxiforce tlaxi r i g i d l y . To keep the
la r g o r ? jlr o s u b s e r v ie n t, i t was nocoooarsr t o keep a l a r g e a ten d in g army. Compulsory m ilit a r y s o r v io e m s imposed upon Turkish young son o f tw enty y e a r s o f ego f o r an I n d e f i n i t e tim e ,b u t nom-moaleri
men were exoiapt from O Q E pslson e r v l o e , Tho army kept h i i t a o o r v ic e a l l Torklati young mm who sh ou ld have taken th e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f
d e v e lo p in g p r o g r e s s iv e f a m i n g . As a r e s u l t th e women and c liild r e n w ith th e a s s is t a n c e o f th o o l d men who Imd re tu rn e d from t h e i r lo n g m i l i t ar y s e r v ic e t i l l e d t l i o ir lan d in a p r im it iv e way t o fo o d th eir * f a m ilie s and eupnort the government budget* In a p it o o f i t s r i c h
n a tu r a l r e s o u r c e s th e cou n try m s becom ing *.ioro ond more im poverished* Tho Valiowho wore son t by th e c e n t r a l goverm itmt had n e it h e r th e
knowledge n o r the or-georlonco t o h ^ r o v o th o l o c a l c o n d it io n s sttft wore in ca p a b le o f s e c u r in g p r o s p e r it y In th o p r o v in c e s .
P rin ce Sabahaddin p o r c lo v o d th e s e o A c la l tr a g e d ie s c l e a r l y nd p r o o l s o l y and has J u s tly d eserv ed th o r i# ifc t o be c a l l e d one o f tho g r e a t e s t Turkish th in k e r s in p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l a f f a i r s . A ft e r he imd d ia g n osed th e ca se s o f th e s o c i a l and oocn on i c i l l s o f th e
cinpire.ho drew up a s o c i a l re fo rm progrtsm c a l l e d M esloki i§ t lr a o i, w hich moans” o c l a l d o c t r in e s ” . He p rop osed th a t a l l the p r o v in c e s
sh ou ld have a l o c a l government w ith a l o c a l l e g i s l a t u r e ,a n d sh ou ld be a b s o lu t e ly f r o * t o o r g a n is e t h e ir ow roaedu oatlcm l, a g r ic u lt u r a l and econom ic i n s t i t u t i o n s a s th e y do in th o U nited S ta te s o f Ajaerloa, and th a t th o c a p i t a l o f tin -¿spire, I s t a n b u l then c a l l e d C o n s ta n t in o p lo ), Should have a n a t io n a l government w ith a c o n g r e s s and s e n a te . The
Ottoman dynasty was t o remain on th o tSiron© \7ithout i n t e r f e r i n g w ith th e l i f e o f th e p r o v in c e s .
S in ce I n i t i a t i v e and p e r s o n a l freedom a r e im p o ssib le where th e re i s s t r i c t c e n t r a l i z a t i o n ,t h e p e o p le o f th e m piro were unable t o p ro sp e r in sp it© o f S u lta n Abdul~ModJid * s p rom ulgation o f c i v i l ©cpjtedllfcy and reform f o r th e 5 3 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 In h a b ita n ts o f M s c o u n try . C e n t r a lis a t io n and b orou u cra cy oom lem en t each o th e r . They a ro l i k e a aarooaa which c re e p s in ch by in c h i n t o a l i v i n g organism and
s tr a n g le o i t t o d ea th . The growth o f c e n t r a l government in tho s o c i a l organism i s l l k o t h a t . The s c ie n c e o f wtedocino i s advanced t o the
p o in t a t which we a c c e p t ca n ce r as a d is e a s e . U n fortu n a tely the s c ie n c e w hich d e s c r ib e s the laws th a t govern man’ s s o c i a l
r e la t io n s h ip s i s in i t s In fa n cy ,a n d i t i s n o t w id e ly r e c o g n iz e d by th e p e o p le , T h eref o r e , n a t io n a f t e r ant Ion i s b e in g r u in e d , because" o f th e b e l i e f th a t a p o w e rfu l c e n t r a l government ±x w ith
an a b s o lu t e ru le r,w h e th e r he be from a dynasty o r from a c l a s s o f th e p e o p l e , i s n o t a d is e r s e but a cure f o r s o c i a l i l l s . C e n t r a liz a t io n and p e a c e fu l p r o g r e s s iv e c i v i l i z a t i o n are n o t c o m p a tib le . This i s th e law o f s o c i a l b e in g .
P r in ce Sabahaddin was moro ca p a b le o f p e r c e iv in g t h is tr u th than most o f th e h i s t o r i a n s , s o c i a l p h ilo s o p h e r s and diplom ats o f h is tim e. Were t h i s n o t th e ca se i t would have been im p o ssib le f o r d ic t a t o r s t o be a ccla im e d as th e s a v io r s and l i b e r a t o r s o f t h e i r c o u n t r ie s . H is to r y has p rov ed how wrong t h e ir n a tio n s and th ese
h is t o r ia n s w ere.
P r in ce Sabahaddin’ s s c i e n t i f i c approach t o s o c i a l problem s arou sed a s in c e r e in t e r e s t in P ran ce, On December 1 5 ,1 9 0 5 , th e magazine, " l a Revue" p u b lis h e d an a r t i c l e d e s c r ib in g th e P r in c e ’ s remarkable
p h ilo s o p h y , P .P each w rote "L es je m e s Tures" in 1 9 0 8 ,arid J,D en a is, an eminent w r it o r ,p u b lis h e d "La Turquie n o u v e lle " in 1909 in which he d e s c r ib e d th a p e r s o n a lit y and th e work o f th e P r in c e .
W hile P rin ce Sabahaddin was t r y in g t o fo rm u la te a reform p rogram ,h is fa t h e r was p u b lis h in g newspapers in B r u s s a lls ,B o m and P a r is ,e n d e a v o r in g t o r e u n it e the Young Turks. U n fortu n a tely Mahmoud Pasha’ s h e a lth gave way under th e s t r a in and th e g re a t p a t r i o t d ie d when he was f o r t y - e i g h t y e a rs o ld in e x i l e on January 17 ,1 9 0 3 , Upon th e d eath o f h is fa t h e r ,P r in c e Sabahaddin sh ou ld ered th e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f th e le a d e r s h ip o f th e Young Turks movement.
During 1906 th e B r it is h f o r e i g n m in is t e r ,S ir Edward Gray, d e liv e r e d a sp eech in th e House o f Commons condemning Pan-Islam ism as a g r e a t p e r i l f o r c i v i l i z a t i o n , a n d the Ottoman Etapire f o r
en cou ra gin g i t . P r in ce Sabahaddin sen t a v ery c o n v in c in g answer t o H is E x c e lle n c y , S ir Edward Gray, "The P a n -Isla m ic movement, "h© s a id , " i s a r e a c t io n o f th e O rien t t o th e E astern p o l i c i e s o f the European pow ors,w h ich have been f a r from f r i e n d l y f o r many y e a r s ,a n d from tim e t o tim e have been even v ery h o s t i l e . I f such s t a t e s ns Prance and Great B r ita in ,w h ic h have a la r g e moslem p o p u la tio n ,w o u ld l i k e t o p rev en t th e p e r i l o f P a n -Isla m isn ,th e y should c u l t i v a t e a r e a l f r i e n d s h i p ,i n s p i r e peace and s e c u r it y throughout th e moslem w o r ld ." The Young P r in c e ’ s answer was p u b lis h e d in many European newspapers, and e s p e c i a l l y in the Times o f August 1 2 ,1 9 0 6 . Many le a d in g e d i t o r i a l w r it e r s approved o f h is in t e r p r e t a t io n o f t h i s problem .
On January 2 ,1 9 0 7 , th e P rin ce p u b lis h e d a memorandum about the Hear East s i t u a t i o n ,s t a t i n g v e ry c l e a r l y th at th e Near East
European governments as w e ll as th e U nited S ta te s have r e a l I n t e r e s t In th e Near E a st, Only a p e a c e fu l,p r o g r e s s iv e p e o p le under the r u le o f a p ow erfu l Ottoman Empire c o u ld p rev en t a c a ta s tr o p h e in t h is area and keep th e w orld s a fe from a m ajor war. U n fo rtu n a te ly P rin ce Sababaddin1 s proph ecy came tr u e .
The c o m p e titio n among th e European powers in th e Near Hast as w e ll as in th e Balkan a rea gave b i r t h t o th e Balkan. War, and then t o the f i r s t World War,
At the b eg in n in g o f Sultan Abdul-Hamid ’ s r e ig n ha had agreed t o a c o n s t it u t io n a l governm ent. However i t was n o t lo n g u n t i l the S ultan began h is d e s p o t ic r u l e . In 1 9 0 8 ,th e p r e v a ilin g d is c o n te n t w hich a ls o d ev elop ed in the array, caused by decades o f c o r r u p tio n and m lsgovernm ent,com pelled tho S ultan t o is s u e a d ecree f o r th o c o n v o c a tio n o f a new P a rlia m en t, and on Ju ly 25# 1908,
c o n s t it u t io n a l government was r e s t o r e d in th e Ottoman Empire. The r e v o lu t io n a r y movement was a c ce p te d w ith g r e a t s a t i s f a c t i o n by th e m a jo r ity o f th e Young Turks as w e ll as a l l th o p e o p le o f the Empire. Only th e P rin ce and h is v ery c l o s e f o llo w e r s were n o t s a t i s f i e d w ith th e p ro cla m a tio n o f c o n s t it u t io n a l governm ent. The g re a t th in k er r e a l i s e d v e ry w e ll th o fundam ental cau ses o f the t r o u b le in th e Ottoman Empire were n o t so s u p e r f i c i a l .
P rin ce Sabahaddin#having l i v e d away from h i s homeland f o r more than n in e y e a r s ,r e t u r n e d t o Is ta n b u l in 1 9 0 8 ,accom panied by th o remains o f th e g re a t p a t r i o t , Mahmoud Pasha who had d ie d
in B r u s s o lls . The r e c e p t io n was an h i s t o r i c e v e n t. More than 500,000 p e o p le p a r t i c i p a t e d . Great ste a m sh ip s ,d e co ra te d w ith th e n a t io n a l f l a g went t o the D arda n elles t o welcome th e young P rin ce and the rem ains o f the i l l u s t r i o u s Mahmoud Pasha.
P rin ce Sabohaddin1s e x c e p t io n a l a b i l i t y t o in t e r p r e t s o c i a l problem s and h is S o c ia l Reform D o c tr in e , aroused r e s p e c t
among a sm all group o f u n iv e r s it y p r o fe s s o r s and s tu d e n ts . They c a l l e d them selves " N o s li Codld” , nThe New G e n e ra tio n ". The members o f Ha a l l
S odid s t a r t e d t o tr a n s la t e from La S cie n ce S o c ia lo which was recommended by th e P r ln c o . They a d v oca ted now s c h o o l programs t o educate th o
p e o p le o f tho p ro v in c e s f o r se lf-g o v e r n m e n t. They t r i e d e a r n e s t ly t o adopt the reform program t o the Empire. But th e p o l i t i c a l polity
th a t h e ld th e d e s tin y o f th e cou n try in i t s hands was n o t ready t o a c c e p t the P r i n c e 's reform p la n . S in ce he a d v oca ted d e c o n t r a ils a t io n o f government, th ey thought th a t I t w ould be a t h r e a t t o th e u n ity o f the Empire. They s a id th a t h i s p la n would d i s s o l v e th o huge Empire by g iv in g each p r o v in c e the r ig h t t o govern I t s e l f . H ow ever,P rince
Sabhaddln * 3 r e f o r a program based on I n v e s t ig a t io n and o b s e r v a tio n
o f tho s o c i a l c o n s t r u c t io n o f the Ottoroan-Empire Is a unique s c i e n t i f i c t h e s is in I t s f i e l d . A lthough t h i s program was n o t fo llo w e d f o r the r e o r g a n iz a tio n o f the c o u n t r y ,t h is f a c t does n o t d e t r a c t from I t s e x c e p t io n a l h i s t o r i c v a lu e .
The P rin ce was a s in c e r e a d v oca te o f peace in th e Balkans, b u t ,u n fo r t u n a t e ly ,t h e Empire was c a r r ie d in t o a b lo o d y war I n s p it e o f h is s tr u g g le s t o prven t t h i s c a ta s tr o p h e ,A s a consequen ce, in 1915, she l o s t p r a c t i c a l l y a l l o f h er European p r o v in c e s as w e ll as th e
- 7
-is la n d s in th e Aegean Son* As I f t h i s tra g ed y were n o t cn o u $ i f o r th e Ottocsaa s u b jo c t s ,t h e y wore n o o d lo s a ly en ta n g led in th e f i r s t
»a rid i/sr* P rin ce Sabahaddin was then in P a r is ,b u t M o ts n fa ilin g d e v o tio n
to
h is cou n trycompelled lito
t o do t t o t he c o u ld t o ae.vo I t from d i s a s t e r . He eon t nosnagoo t o th e ia p e ro r, CJult n houhsmnod V, ancl t o th e lo a d e r o f th e p o l i t i c a l p a r t y , s t r o n g ly a d v is in g th en t o a v o id e n te r in g th e war, s t a t in g th a t ouch an a c t io n w ould o n ly r e s u l tin th e dlo.' O lu tia n o f th e O t t c o ja iip ir o * At the enno t i n e he made c o n t a c t s w ith th e French Government and asked th en t o
holp
h ln t o r r e v a n t th e en tra n ce o f th o Ottoman i p i r o i n t o th e war a s an a l l y o f Germany, H ow ever,M s e f f o r t s fa ile d , and Jfurkoy became a p a r t ic ip a n t in th e tra g e d y o ftho first
w orld#ar,
>von a f t e r t M o th e P rin ce d id n o t g iv e up h is e f f o r t s . Ho them t r i a d t o in flu e n c e tlio Ottornn Government t o a c c e p t a sep a ra te t r e a t y o f p e a c e . But th o p o l i t i c a l p a r ty ig n o r e d M s argum ents,and th o Otto; tan -4^piro shared th o f a t e o f Gar any.Alt&iourji th o biogra p h y o f t h i s g r o a t th in k e r i s c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o th o I ils t o r y o f M o c o u n t r y ,M s p o l i t i c a l c a r e e r and M s
p o s i t i o n ao th o o o l f - s & o r i f i c i n g l lo a d e r o f a r e f e r » raov-uent in Turkey a re n o t enough t o do j u s t i c e t o Ills o u t s t n d in g a b i l i t y , Tho P rin ce h as a r a r e and r a d ia n t e a p a s s io n f a r th * p e o p le o f th e w o r ld ,r o g o r d le s a o f ar© od*raee o r n a t i c o o l i t • Throughout M s
u h o lo l i f e M s deep l o v e f o r o i l s o r t s o f a s ti» I s has p rev en ted him from e a tin g th o f l e s h o f any anim al, An ardnant th in k e r , w ith r o m r k a b lo a b i l i t y , ho cm p erceiv e the fsnanso s o c ia l probl<s.is tiia t c o n fr o n t
hum anity. Ho boxlovcm i n th o n e c e s s it y o f th e c o o r d in a t io n o f a l l data co n c e r n in g mankind and in th o study o f wax ■■mm miwI I
in i t s e n t i r e t y .
In Turkey t o d y en eminent group o f i n t e l l o t u a l s , f o llo w e r s o f th© P r in c e , esteemed th e va lu e o f h is a o h o o l o f th o u ^ it wMch
a m b led h in t o f o r e t e l l th o t r a g i c f a t e o f th o Ottoman i-teplr©, They a rc co n v in ce d tiia t I f th o P r in ce * o rofestu progxwn mid been a o o o p to d and a p p lie d a t th o h'XjSrstfkig o f th o tw e n tie th c e n tu r y , th o h is t o r y o f th e !;• « r &u»t and th o daikon s v/ouftd h tv o f o llo w o d a d i f f e r e n t c o u r s e , Th© Balkan liar w ould liiivo s u r e ly been p re v e n te d , and th e f i r s t v/orld lap w o 'I d have b o m v e r y d i f f e r e n t « l a t e l y P rin ce Sabahadf tin * s sc5 .en ti.fio approach t o th e s o c i a l problem s o f th e w orld have a rou sed oosd sop on ad m iration and c o n v ic t io n among u n iv e r s it y
p r o fe s n o r s t h a t h is notho&s a re b e in g tm d .it in eoon ord cs an. s o c io lo g y c o u r s e s a t th e U n iv e r s ity o f Ista n b u l*
In modem s o c i e t y can in d iv id u a l whose o o u d je t i s in s p ir e d
w h o lly by nubllrio i d e a ls and a b s o lu te h on esty i s v ery seldom m c o u d to ro d . P rin ce ‘ abahad&SA i s one o f tho r a r e p e r s o n a li t i e s w ho»« o s » o p t io n a l
m oral beau ty has a s t r i k i n g and I n a p p lic a b le pow er, As an© o f h i s
g r a t e f u l f o l l o w e r s , ! am d e e p ly lu p ro a so d by jfche. M s s tr e n g th o f u e r s o n a lit y as w e ll as M s ;® tra ord in a ry s a n t o l a b i l i t y . I am f u l l y co n v in ce d tlx t
he i s one o f the g ro a t tM jjk a ro an ln t o m a t ia n .il a f f a i r s t h a t humanity n o o d s .
T his a l t r u i s t i c oeh la r,w h o has d e v o t e M s l i f e t o a c q u ir in g «ho knowledge In d is p e n s a b le t o th e w e lfa r e o f mankind, l i v e d a s a non]
— 8
in h is r o y a l s u rr o u n d in g s ,In s p ir e d o n ly by h ig h p u rp o se s. When the Ottoman dynasty was com p elled t o lea v e t h e ir homeland f o r e v e r - i n 1924, he to o k the roa d o f e x i l e a g a in , t h i s tim e w ith the im p e ria l fa m ily whoso imm unities he had n ever taken advantage o f .
As a keen o b s e rv e r o f in t e r n a t io n a l a f f a i r s , t h e P rin ce
n ev or l o s t h is i n t e r e s t in f o llo w in g the co u rse taken by the r e la t i o n s between c o u n t r ie s . In Ills l e t t e r s t o h is fr ie n d s he d e p lo r e d the s ta te o f the c e n t r a l Eurppean c o u n t r ie s . He was co n v in ce d th a t the t e r r i b l e c r i s i s in Germany would in e v it a b ly r e s u l t in a second w orld war. He was d eep ly s o r r y th a t the U nited S ta te s fa v o r e d an i s o l a t i o n i s t p o l i c y .
He s a i d , ” Tho A nglo-Saxon and American n a tio n s have th e g re a t r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f le a d e r s h ip in w orld a f f a i r s . I f America keeps h er hands o f f European, a f f a i r s and f o l lo w s a h igh t a r i f f p o l i c y , t h o European n a tio n s w i l l l o s s t h e i r most p rosp erou s custom ers and w i l l go bankrupt. And the im poverish ed, h o p e le s s p e o p le w i l l become a t o o l f o r any d ic t a t o r s th a t can m anipulate them. They w i l l c r e a t e f i r s t a r e v o lu t io n and then a w orld w ar,w hich w i l l be a r o a l ca ta stro p h e f o r mankind. n
Indeed h is prophecy came t r u e . D ic t a t o r s c o n t r o l le d the d e s tin y o f t h e i r n a t io n s . During 1933—.'4 w h ile H it le r was r i s i n g t o p ow er,P rln co Sabahaddln p r e d ic t e d th e tra g ed y o f the secon d World War and w rote t o h is f r i e n d s , ” H i t l e r c o n fe s s e d a i l th a t he planned t o do when lie came in t o power In h is book Mein Kampf . He i s a r e a l th r e a t t o iuropean c i v i l i z a t i o n . To p reven t a w orld -w id e c a ta s tr o p h e , Groat B r it a in nd France ought t o g iv e an Tiltumatum t o Marshal
Hindenburg and c l e a r l y s t a t e th a t i f Germany a llo w e d th e N a tio n a l Socit l i s t P arty t o come in t o power, and H it le t o have nn e x e c u tiv e p o s it io n ,t h e arm ies o f th o s a id governments would invade Germany t o p rev en t another w orld w a r .. . .
U n fortu n a tely European d iplom a ts and statesm en d id n o t do as s t a t e d above and a c r im in a l lu n a t ic w ith a l l h is r a c e p r e ju d ic e s and h is sadism ,w hich wore c o n fe s s e d in h is b o o k ,m s l e t lo o s e in Europe t o d e s tr o y a l l v e s t ig e s o f c i v i l i z a t i o n . Maybe i t c ; n bo s a id th a t I t i s a g a in s t th o r u le o f diplom acy t o i n t e r f e r e w ith o th e r
n a tio n s* in t e r n a l a f f a i r s . Tbrnmefore tho Groat European governments wo would have been unable to g iv e such an ultim atum .
When P re sid e n t R o o s e v e lt p rop osed the lo n d le a s e b i l l , h o
3a i d . ” Suppose th a t th e re Is a f i r e in your n e ig h b o r *3 home. The
f i r s t th in g t o o i s t o g iv e him you h e lp ,y o u r h ose and you r w ater t o put the f i r e ou t’,' In ju s t the same way, suppose th a t you h oar a n o is e in your n e i g h b o r s h ou se. You know ,or s u s p e c t ,t h a t a lu n a t ic
i s t o r t u r in g ,b e a t in g , s tr a n g lin g your n e ig h b o r . You a ls o b e lie v e th a t ho i s ca p a b le o f s e t t in g th e house on f l r o any moment. Vhat i s the most l o g i c a l and human© a t t it u d e t o ta k e ? To have f u l l r o s p o c t f o r your n e ig h b o r ’ s p r iv a c y and va-.it t i l l th o lu n a t ic e x ecu tes h is s a d i s t i c p la n s ,o r t o " t a k e a c t io n im m ediately and i n t e r f e r e w ith the p r iv a t e l i f e o f you r n e ig h b o r , but meanwhile, savo him as v e i l as th o community from an in e v it a b le and t e r r i b l e tra g ed y ?
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-P rin ce Sabahaddin Is a deep b e l i e v e r in the human s p i r i t and in i t s power. T h erefore he has always been an adm irer o f tru e democracy as i t i s the one form o f government th a t r e s p e c t s humani t y and h o ld s i t t o be more p r e c io u s than anything e l s e . At a tim e when America i s d oin g so much t o h e lp h is be lo v e d c o u n tr y , as w e ll as many o th e r op p ressed n a t i o n s ,I f i n d i t a g re a t p le a su re t o in tro d u ce
P rin ce '>abahaddin t o my American r e a d e r s ,f o r whose way o f l i v i n g he has so deep an ad m iration •
Kişisel Arşivlerde Istanbul Belleği T a h a To ros Arşivi
