The evaluations of Şefik Hüsnü on the "National Question" and on the revolution in Turkey between 1919-1925

Abstract

This thesis examines the evaluations of Sefik Hüsnü Degmer, who was the generalsecretary of the Communist Party of Turkey for many years, on the social,economic and political structure of Turkey, the national liberation struggle and the foundation of the Republic in the period between 1919-1925. The topics that SefikHüsnü dealt with within this period were the class structure of Turkey, thepossibility of a socialist revolution in the actual conditions of the country and theattitude that the communists should take towards the national liberation struggle in Anatolia and its leadership. The answers that Sefik Hüsnü formulated were closelyrelated not only to the objective conditions of the country, but also to the debatestaking place in the international communist movement and to the existence of thenewly founded socialist republic in Russia. This thesis analyzes the thoughts of Sefik Hüsnü within the framework composedof the elements mentioned below; at presenting the evolution in the thinkingprocess and organizational position of Sefik Hüsnü and at revealing how hisevaluations of the national movement varied parallel to the great changes in Tukey in the aftermath of World War One and parallel to the alterations in the policies ofthe Communist International.