National-Democratic State and Development

The biggest difference of the 21st multipolarity accompanying it create a suitable ground for

century from the 20th century is that the “Oppressed each country to benefit from international cooperation in

World” has created from within itself a “Developing line with the development strategy it has determined for

World” that tends to be an alternative to the imperialist itself.

system in all aspects of life. The center of production Today, in the Developing World, we are going through

in the world has shifted from the West to the East. The a period in which objective imperatives strongly influence

successes of the People’s Republic of China, which led subjective attitudes. The expansion of the sphere of life

this process with a state-led and sharing approach under gained by limiting the hegemony of the imperialist system

the leadership of the state, created a “miracle” effect all brought along the rapid spread of this effect in political,

over the world. The growth and development theories economic and cultural fields. The fact that the currents

developed in the West began to be questioned radically. triggered by objective factors are so strong is unique to

The one-size-fits-all recipies imposed by the World Bank the rising periods of revolution. Today, humanity is on the

and the International Monetary Fund on all countries verge of creating a wholly new world.

have now lost their credibility as well as their functionality. On the other hand, it is not possible for the tendencies

The neoliberal international order of the USA, which triggered by objective factors to automatically carry

intended to dominate the globe in an unrestrained humanity to this new world. Especially in our age, in

way following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, is which humanity has reached the end of spontaneity in

now collapsing with the emergence of a multipolar social development, understanding this impossibility

world. Today, the whole world is in search of a more seems to have become more important than ever. Despite

egalitarian and fair international order. More importantly, being unique to China, the most important lesson that

the achievements of the Developing World and the the Chinese experience teaches to the Developing World,

end of spontaneity in the development of relations of production. Capitalist relations of production constitute the last instance of production relations that developed spontaneously within the heart of the previous social system. Capitalist relations of production did not emerge as a product of democratic revolutions. On the contrary, democratic revolutions arose as a result of capitalist production relations that developed in the midst of feudalism prior to the revolution. What the revolution has accomplished is the breaking down of the feudal barriers to the spread of these relations and making capitalism the dominant mode of production. However, neither socialist, nor national-democratic

Researchers work at the International Research Center production relations opening up to socialism come into

of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals in being by themselves in the heart of capitalism. Socialism

Beijing, capital of China, Sept 8, 2021. (Xinhua, 2021Xinhua (2021). The source article does not provide a separate full bibliographic entry for this citation.) and the transition to a classless society were put forward as a historical foresight before such a system became which faces a similar problem, is the indispensability of real anywhere on earth. It is necessary to design the applying a holistic program and strategy prepared in the relations of production towards socialism and therefrom light of science under the leadership of the state to be to a classless society, to create the necessary tools for successful. the implementation of the design, and to continue this

The Main Challenge of the Age of National- transformation in an uninterrupted manner. Such a

Democratic Revolutions and Opening Up to transformation requires a social organization that has a

Socialism holistic program created under the guidance of science,

integrates this program with implementation plans, leads The human factor lies at the center of productive and mobilizes the society for the realization of these plans. forces. The essence of man is his social being. Social In other words, the continual design and transformation relations strengthen the human essence to the extent of production relations has become a duty that falls upon they contribute to the ability of the society to change the human factor located at the center of productive forces. the world by mobilizing the creativity and energy of the Today, the social organization that is endowed with this society. Throughout history, social systems have tended to ability is the national-democratic state. reinforce the social essence of man during periods of rise, The leading role played by the state in making while letting it wither away during periods of downfall. It capitalism the dominant mode of production in Germany, would not be misleading to take the impact of the system Japan and Italy, which are the countries of “late capitalism”, on human social existence as an objective criterion in is instructive in this respect. In the Age of Imperialism, the determining what is socially advanced and what is socially path to “late capitalism” is blocked for oppressed countries. backward. Aiming at “late capitalism” therefore would inevitably The position of man in the productive forces has damage the independence and sovereignty of a developing gained a different meaning than ever before. Mankind country by subordinating it to imperialist markets. has not reached the end of history, but it has reached the

The main force, on which the protection of There is no ready-made recipe for pursuing these two

independence and sovereignty can be based, is the aims in a harmonious manner such that they mutually

nation. A country’s letting itself to get directed by reinforce each other. Although different countries

imperialist market forces would end up with weakening can benefit from each other’s experience as they have

the nation. While the working classes, which make up common problems, the main principle is that each

the majority of the nation, would be crushed under country determines and implements a development

this burden, an important part of the industrialists and strategy in every field, not only in economy, specific

businessmen who are based on the country’s soil would to its own characteristics in the light of science.

face destruction. The maximal goal of imperialism is Scientific socialism is the true guide in establishing and

to liquidate the national states of the oppressed and transforming the relations of production, as well as in

developing countries. The consequence of the weakening managing this process so as to prevent the contradictions

of the national state is that the imperialist system gains between different classes and segments of the nation from

new positions to dissolve the nation by manipulating the becoming antagonistic and without creating obstacles

social fault lines within the country. On the other hand, to development. Today, this problem constitutes the

the disintegration of the nation weakens the nation-state main source of the theoretical development of scientific

further as well. socialism in praxis.

This complex process, which covers all areas of life, can only be carried out under the leadership of the

Independence and sovereignty state. In order for the nation to mobilize its energy and

are the prerequisites to reveal the creativity, however, the state must truly be transformed

production potential of the nation into the organized form of the nation. This goal can only

at a maximal level. be reached under the guidance of scientific socialism.

Today, we are going through a period in which the

The nation is also the main force of development of fact that the working class is the class that has to save

the country in every field - first and foremost in the all of humanity in order to save itself has become very

economy - along with protecting and consolidating prominent.

the independence and sovereignty of a country. National-Democratic Revolution and Independence and sovereignty are the prerequisites to Development reveal the production potential of the nation at a maximal

level. When unleashing this potential is accompanied As long as an abundance of production that enables

by sharing the wealth among the whole nation in a way distribution according to need cannot be achieved,

that reinforces the national unity, independence and competition in sharing will continue to exist among

sovereignty will also be further assured unshakably. individuals. Although the existence of individuals who

Thus, the main challenge faced by the oppressed prioritize the public interest above their individual

developing countries is to strengthen the national unity interest constitutes an indispensable condition for social

in order to preserve and consolidate their independence progress of humanity today, it alone does not suffice

and sovereignty, along with organizing and transforming to eliminate the competition for distribution. In other

the production relations in a way that will optimize the words, it is not possible to eliminate the contradiction

productive forces qualitatively and quantitatively. between public interest and individual interest through

everything that leads to domination as allowable has led non-economic means of power to come to the fore in competition. Monopolization is the product of this self-destruction of competition. The financial capital ceased to function as the blood circulation of production and gained a dominating position over the production economy due to the competitive advantage that money capital owns. Most importantly, the aim of acquiring new and powerful means of competition led to the formation of the imperialist state, by making the state a collective armed organization of finance capital under capitalism. The imperialist state thus turned into an armed device Container vessels loading at Yangshan Port, that serves to pave the way for the export of increased

Shanghai. (Ji Haixin/China Daily, 2022Ji Haixin/China Daily (2022). The source article does not provide a separate full bibliographic entry for this citation.) finance capital, seeking new areas for itself. Today, the

imperialist state has gained a mafia-like character, which

purely ideological struggle, as long as a suitable objective is collecting tribute directly by means of force.

ground is not established in economic terms. As a consequence, the capitalist system lost its

Based on this conclusion, we can make the following resource distribution efficiency, which it owned in its

four inferences. First of all, it is inevitable to make use of competitive period. Today, the system that can benefit

individual interest as a driving force in order to be able to from this ability of the markets is a national-democratic

convert a nation’s potential into a productive power at a system opening up to socialism. On the other hand, in

maximal level. Secondly, the shaping of this process cannot order for competition to continue its function to reveal

be left to the spontaneity of the capitalist market forces, the production potential and creativity of the nation, it

and thus there is a need to design social and economic is essential not to leave the economy to the spontaneity

mechanisms that will subordinate the individual interest of market forces, since the main factor that led to the

to the public interest. Thirdly, arranging the relations of destruction of competition under capitalism was precisely

production so as to open the way for the development of the spontaneity of the process. Competition serving

productive forces should not be considered as a one-shot the aim specified above can only be sustained under

act, but rather as an uninterrupted process that should the leadership of a state that watches over the interests

continually be kept on the agenda. Fourthly, this process of the whole nation, especially the working classes, and

can only be managed appropriately under the presence of that is equipped with the central tools needed to steer the

a political power that is guided by science and prioritizes markets. Moreover, it is of vital importance for the state

public interest over individual interest. to protect itself from the influences of those who gain

Creative Competition Instead of Destructive economic power in this process with the goal of letting

Competition the state deviate from collective aims for the sake of

their own individual interests. In other words, “capitalist

Under capitalism, competition is unrestrained. In the roaders” need to be kept away from power, especially

capitalist system, it was competition itself that destroyed from key points of power. Today, it is impossible for

competition because of its lack of restraint. Regarding an oppressed country to become a capitalist country

by getting integrated to the imperialist world market. by a formal and nation-wide education strategy.

The only way for such a country to become a capitalist Planning includes determining both the goals and a

country is, however, to “return to capitalism” after having road map to be followed to achieve those goals. It is of

developed its economy through the national-democratic great importance to make the right distinction between

revolution. what is to be planned directly and what will benefit from

the functioning of the markets in order to reach the set Planning to Subordinate Individual Interest to targets. To give an example from the human body, the Collective Interest fact that our heartbeat, breathing, or functioning of our

The regulatory and guiding role of the national- internal organs are automated, enables us to concentrate

democratic state on the markets is not limited to our consciousness beyond the bodily activities necessary

intervening in the distribution process. Undoubtedly, for survival. If one had to constantly run the “blood

it is extremely important to ensure that all segments of pump” or “breathing bellows” oneself, one would not be

the nation benefit from the increase in welfare in order able to do anything but struggle to stay alive.

to consolidate national unity. Moreover, it is necessary “Economic and Social Design” is a relatively new

to give priority to the poorest sections of the nation branch of science that deals with the design of economic

and the poorest regions of the country. But limiting the and social mechanisms to ensure that the resulting

economic leadership of the state to this function simply outcomes are compatible with the collective interest in

means reducing it to a “social state”. The long-term focus environments where the use of individual interest as a

of the collective interest is the development of productive trigger is inevitable. Concentrating on this field within

forces. For this reason, production is located at the top the science of economics is expected to yield quite

of the planning hierarchy in terms of content and level. efficient results.

It is essential that production goals reflect the interests A Planning Process Based on Continual of the collective. Planning should not be considered as a Transformations Under the Leadership of the purely technical activity. Development is a two-legged State process with both economic and social aspects. That

is so as its implementation requires the strengthening The problem underlying the national-democratic

of the nation’s overall ability. Achieving the set goals development is to ensure the harmony between the

requires not only the training of a workforce equipped productive forces and the relations of production in

with the necessary techniques and knowledge, but also a way that will develop the productive forces. This

the mobilization of the nation by appropriating the situation necessitates constant readjustments in the

adopted strategy. Unleashing the energy and creativity relations of production, depending on the qualitative

of the nation and ensuring effective participation in the and quantitative improvement in the productive forces.

implementation of the strategy are of key importance. The Chinese Experience provides us with rich examples

Raising the cultural and social level of the nation is an in this respect.

element that must be constantly observed. In case social What enabled China to acquire and develop

development lags behind economic development, the advanced technologies through partnerships between

consequence is that economic development both slows China’s state companies and foreign companies in the

down and moves away from the collective interest. It is 1990’s was that the production capability of China’s

essential that every development strategy is accompanied manufacturing industry had already developed beyond

a certain threshold with the Reform and Opening Up The development of productive forces is based

Movement that had started in 1978. Eliminating the on raising the productivity of the workforce. China’s

inequality between rural areas and cities requires an “high-tech zones”, which were created to acquire

urbanization process compatible with the development advanced technologies, are not limited to partnerships

speed of the industry. One of the reasons why China was established with foreign direct investments using

locked in a high growth rate for a period was to ensure advanced technology. In each high-tech region, besides

that the planned urbanization could be carried out the production activity, there are universities, vocational

without causing unemployment. In the transition from schools and research and development centers.

an export-based economy to an economy that considers As vocational schools carry out their training on

strengthening the domestic market as its primary goal, the job as a part of production activity, there is also a

measures have been taken to reduce the savings rates division of labor between universities and R&D centers.

of households. This transition was accompanied by an While universities are trying to develop solutions for the

increase in welfare in the whole country, the middle class relatively more general problems of the region, which

was strengthened, and the transfer of resources towards also require a theoretical approach, the task assigned to

production to the relatively backward regions was R&D institutions is the designing of innovations that will

centrally accelerated in order to reduce the inequalities increase the competitiveness of products. In addition,

between regions. This made it possible to eradicate the obligation to employ a certain percentage of Chinese

absolute poverty in China in 2021. The eradication managers at all management levels of the partnerships

of absolute poverty was achieved not by “providing in these regions is also meant to provide a wide-spread

monetary support”, but by creating new production and “training in management”.

employment opportunities. Property relations are at the center of relations of

production. The Chinese economy is today a mixed economy led by the state. In the Chinese economy,

Property relations are at the center where public ownership, group ownership and personal

of relations of production. The ownership coexist, different “hybrid ownership forms”

Chinese economy is today a mixed have also been “experimentally” examined in this

economy led by the state. process. The designed hybrid property forms were first

put into practice in the pilot regions, and after testing their ability to develop productive power, the successful

In an economy directed sheerly by market forces, ones were expanded, while the unsuccessful ones were

it is not possible for backward technologies to survive abandoned.

alongside advanced technologies that have become Interest rates, exchange rates, inflation, employment,

widespread. The reason for this is that the main savings and investment rates and similar macroeconomic

factor that drives the economy is the “profit motive”. indicators form the climate of an economic environment.

However, in a state-led economy based on production Therefore, these variables have different optimal values

and employment, it is possible to use advanced and in terms of compliance with the priorities of each period.

backward technologies simultaneously in the same field. The state should be equipped with the central tools

China has successfully benefited from this opportunity needed for the transformation of the economy, which will

in its development process. enable it to make the route changes, naturally obeying

Semih Koray - National Democratic State and Development

the objective causality relations that exist between these their internal contradictions by plundering the colonies

variables. China, which has made such route changes and gradually reduced democracy to a tool of disabling

by regarding money as the “blood” of production and systemic dissapprovals by dragging them to the edge of

thereby subordinating the money circulation to the the society. The function tailored to “democracy” by the

needs of production, has thus managed to come out of imperialist system in the developing world countries,

the global financial crisis with relatively less damage. on the other hand, can be summarized as keeping

the country’s channels open to imperialist influence, The State Directed by the Public Interest Under pressure and interventions. the Guidance of Science However, the need of developing countries is to bring

Today, the nation is the main force for both the the people to an active position. The main assurance of the

protection of the independence and sovereignty of the protection of the country’s independence, consolidation

country against the imperialist hegemony and for the of the nation’s sovereignty and the implementation of

development of the country. The nation-state is the development programs and strategies is the mobilization

basic organization of the nation in this struggle. There of the nation. Thus, the Developing World needs a New

are two main principles for the successful management Democracy that looks after the masses to raise their level

of these processes by the national state. The first is by learning from their own experiences, and that serves

combining the guidance of science with the total and to unleash their creativity and productive energies.

effective mobilization of the nation; and the second is to Each country is faced with the task of establishing and

ensure that the political power adheres to the principle developing its own “New Democracy”, which fits its own

of subordinating individual interest to collective interest. characteristics and whose main principle is “serving

To the extent these two principles are fulfilled, the the people”, instead of the one-size-fits-all “democracy

national state truly transforms into an organization of recipes” imposed by the West.

the nation. The formation and dissemination of political powers

based on public interest and sharing, relying on the

Political powers that adopt science guidance of science in social and economic development

in the Developing World will only become possible if as a guide and serving the public as this goal is appropriated by the whole nation, especially a principle will form the pioneering the working classes. The dominance of the economically

units of the New World sharing a powerful groups in power is an obstacle to this goal.

common future. Political powers that adopt science as a guide and serving

the public as a principle will form the pioneering units of

The main source of democracies established with the New World sharing a common future.

the bourgeois democratic revolutions in the West is The Chinese Experience contains elements that are

the need for reaching a compromise among the ruling instructive in this respect as well. The secret of China’s

classes. The position assigned to the people in these success lies in the insistence on socialism together with

democracies is a passive one. The liberating effect of the re-discovery of nation as the fundamental social

the rise of capitalism led the people to go beyond the force of our age. Today, special care is taken to keep

position assigned to them by the system and to fight for capitalist roaders away from power in order to continue

their rights. The imperialist countries managed to soften the construction of socialism in China.

world. Developing countries show a wide diversity due to the fact that they are at different stages of the nationbuilding process and their historical, cultural and social backgrounds differ. The new international order will be one that respects this diversity and allows each country to benefit from international cooperation in line with its own development strategy determined according to its own characteristics. The diversity of the Developing World will thus turn into a new source of power that does not divide countries, but unites them in building the common future of humanity. Interaction between

Opening the Nazilli Printed Cloth Factory, Nazilli, Aydın, different cultures will strengthen the process of building

9 October 1937. (Atatürk website) a new and higher level of common human culture.

A new international order can only be built with the

An Egalitarian and Just International Order and active participation of all countries in life and struggle.

Development The Belt-Road Initiative, led by China, is an effective and

Competition under capitalism has turned into important tool for advancing this process. The success

destruction at the stage of imperialism. The two world of this initiative, which also aims to transform the

wars, triggered by the rivalry between imperialists, terrestrial structure of Eurasia from being a disadvantage

have brought a destruction to humanity, which is to an advantage, depends on the participation of

unprecedented throughout history. The key concept of other countries more effectively in both shaping and

the international order imposed by imperialism on the implementing this initiative.

world is “hegemony”. Today, hegemony encompasses not The most solid guarantee of an egalitarian and fair

only the coercive domination of the imperialist system international order is that all countries become strong.

over the Oppressed World, but also the US control China’s rapid development, which is described as

over other imperialist countries within the imperialist “miraculous”, has shown the whole world that poverty is

system’s own hierarchy. The neoliberal international not destiny. It has thus been demonstrated how effective

order designed and imposed by the USA for this purpose a correct development strategy, which is set on the basis

is rapidly collapsing today. The main factor that led to of science and put into practice under the leadership

this rapid decline of US hegemony is the Rise of Eurasia. of the state, is in revealing the production potential of

This rising power, which tends to form an alternative a nation. It has become visible with naked eye that the

to the imperialist system in all aspects of life, aims to welfare of a country is not located behind mountains

jointly shape the common future of humanity. A new, that are not accessible. This is the most important lesson

egalitarian, just and mutually beneficial international to be drawn from the Chinese experience. Moreover,

order has already begun to be established within the the possibility of transforming “international relations”,

struggle against US hegemony in military, political, which acts as a hindrance under the imperialist system,

economic, ideological and cultural fields. into international cooperation that each country can

Today, the only monotype system is the imperialist benefit from in accelerating its own development in

Semih Koray - National Democratic State and Development

the new international order opens up new horizons for unique breakthrough of Turkey’s national-democratic

humanity. revolution. The principles of nationalism, populism,

republicanism, statism, secularism and revolutionism summarize the Kemalist Revolution Program. Despite its diversity, the principles Nationalism states that the basic power is the nation,

of the Kemalist Revolution form both for the protection of independence and sovereignty,

the backbone of the Developing and for economic and social development. Populism

World’s common program today. bases the revolution on the people – first and foremost

the peasantry – and the principle of serving the people.

Programs, strategies and policies, no matter how It reflects the approach that the future of the country

strongly they reflect the common aspirations of cannot be secured without ensuring the welfare and

humanity, are excluded from life as long as their objective effective participation of the people. Republicanism is

conditions are not met. Today, the decline of imperialist the expression of the need for the nation-state to be truly

hegemony and the widening of the living space of the organized form of the nation. Statism emphasizes the

developing countries cause the objective imperatives of indispensability of the leading and planning function of

these countries to play a more active role in guiding the the state for the construction of a national-democratic

attitudes of both their governments and their peoples. economy and society. Secularism is the main tool

President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, recently made for overcoming the feudal elements that hinder the

a statement that they “adopted the Chinese model”. nation-building process. Secularism is based on the

MetroPOLL Research Company, in its field research, Enlightenment, which accepts science as the truest

confirmed that the demand for Turkey to “give priority guide in life. Revolutionism reflects the fact that the

to China and Russia” in its foreign relations has become revolutionary process must be carried out incessantly.

outweighing the demand of “giving priority to the USA A century that has passed has not eroded the

and the European Union” among the Turkish people. principles of the Kemalist Revolution. Despite its

Russia, China and Turkey are seen as friends of Africa diversity, these principles form the backbone of the

in the struggle against neocolonialism rising in this Developing World’s common program today. Desired

continent. All of these are indications that the nations benefits from flexibility can only be obtained in the

of the world are seeing and learning the facts quickly presence of a solid spine. The objective conditions in

within their own experiences. The USA’s prioritization the world today create a very suitable basis for Turkey

its efforts to thwart the Belt-Road Initiative, or the to complete its national-democratic revolution that it

portrayal of Xi Cinping, Vladimir Putin and Tayyip started with the Kemalist Revolution.

Erdoğan in semi-official media organs of the imperialist The 20th century began with the rising wave of

system as “leaders who must be eliminated as soon democratic revolutions in Russia, Turkey, China and

as possible” form the other facet of one and the same Iran. It is no coincidence that these four countries are

medallion. still at the forefront of the struggle against imperialist

Turkey achieved its independence and sovereignty hegemony at the beginning of the 21st century.

with the War of Independence against the imperialist This is a clear indication that our age is the Age of

occupation at the beginning of the 20th century. The National Democratic Revolutions and Opening up to

Kemalist Revolution, led by Atatürk, constituted a Socialism.