Dictatorship is often seen as negative. Words that come to the mind on hearing the word "Dictator" are tyrant, cruel, oppressive, authoritarian, totalitarian etc. We usually see dictatorship in the pattern of Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini. But have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a Benevolent Dictator? Kemal Pasha was one such Benevolent Dictator who has been venerated as the liberator and founder of Turkey. His chief objective was the creation of a strong secular republic, democratic in structure emphasizing national sovereignty. He brought in many great reforms which changed the face of the Turkish society. Under his dictatorship Turkey was transformed into a modern state, on the lines of European countries.
Mustafa, who became Mustafa Kemal as a teenager and then Mustafa Kemal Atatürk late in life, was born around 1881 in the city of Salonika (now Thessaloniki, Greece), which at that time was part of Ottoman empire. His family was middle-class, Turkish-speaking and Muslim. A good student, Mustafa Kemal attended a series of military schools, including the War College in Istanbul. Mustafa got the name Kemal from his Mathematics teacher, who referred to him as 'Kemal' due to his perfection and proficiency in the subject. He later got the title of Ataturk, meaning 'Father of the Nation' due to his extraordinary and immense contribution in the building of a sovereign, liberal, secular, modern and progressive Turkey.
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founded an independent Republic of Turkey out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. He served as Turkey’s first president from 1923 until his death in 1938, implementing reforms that rapidly secularized and westernized the country. Under his leadership, the role of Islam in public life shrank drastically, European-style law codes came into being, the office of the sultan was abolished and new language and dress requirements were mandated. He substituted the use of Turkish fez cap for the European cap, he encouraged women to come unveiled in public and to adopt western fashion and habits, established schools for girls and made women eligible for business and other professional careers, women were given right to vote and to become members of parliament. Men and Women were encouraged to mix up freely and even to visit dance halls. In 1925, Kemal danced with a woman in public, the first time this sort of thing had ever happened in Turkey. Under him Turkey progressed both economically and socially.
Kemal Pasha's foreign policy was one of harmonious kind. His foreign policy laid great emphasis on building a sovereign nation, devoid of any external interference while maintaining friendly terms with other nations. Good terms were maintained with Greece, Romania & Yugoslavia, they drew closer when the Fascist threat increased. Kemal tried to develop friendly relations with the Soviet Union which concluded in a Treaty of Friendship and Neutrality in 1925. However relations between the two deteriorated due to the policy of suppression of the Communists adopted by Turkey. Relation between Turkey and Western European Powers had been hostile due to the legacy of world war one in which they fought against each other, also there were differences on the question of who will get to claim Dardanelles and the oil rich area of Mosul. Kemal Pasha succeeded in securing the Treaty of Lausanne with the Allies. Turkey's relation with Italy were hostile due to Italian designs in the Middle East, Mussolini's attempt to convert Mediterranean Sea into an Italian lake & Italy's attack on Abyssinia, Turkey supported the League of Nations.
The creation of Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis let Turkey to conclude her treaties with England & France, with an assurance that they would assist her in the event of German attack. With the threat of the Fascist powers increasing in Europe, Kemal Pasha succeeded in making the Allies agree to idea of fortification of the straits of Bosporusand Dardanelles by Turkey, though the straits were declared open to all the countries during peace, Turkey was to have the exclusive right to use the Straits during the war. In1937,he concluded the Eastern Pact with Afghanistan, Iran & Iraq. By the pact the four countries agreed to settle amicably all issues directly related with their common interest. They also undertook to not to interfere in the internal affairs of each other. Kemal Pasha earnestly wanted to build a Sovereign & modern Turkey, he encouraged the citizens to adopt western culture without harming the sovereignty of the nation. He once said, "Sovereignty is not given, it is taken."
In true sense Kemal Pasha is the Ataturk, the father and founder of a strong & modern Turkey. His open mindedness and clear visionary led Turkey on the road of development and prosperity. He was indeed the most Benevolent Dictator the world has ever seen!