BELLEK Uluslararası Tarih ve Kültür Araştırmaları Dergisi

Öz

Today, the development capacities of states are greatly affected by their ability to adapt to global dynamics and use them to achieve national goals; therefore, the question “What are the principles and goals of Turkish foreign policy?” emerges as an important concern. In this context, it becomes essential to investigate the questions “What were the goals and principles of Turkish foreign policy during Atatürk’s era? Can these goals and principles be applied today?” The most suitable branch of science to shed light on the discussed issues is history, because history is not an experience that is endured aimlessly. The comprehensive lessons provided by history equip us for both today’s and tomorrow’s applications. Effectively researching the past is equivalent to examining the present and the future. As a result, in order to make assessments, it is essential to first analyze the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, which formed the basis of the Turkish Revolution, and the reform initiatives and westernization efforts aimed at overcoming this decline. Atatürk, brought out the fact that modernization encompasses a wide range of changes and developmental issues that are fundamentally based on a change in mentality. This awareness significantly influenced the modernization efforts of the Ottoman Empire over the last two centuries. The process was similar to experiments conducted in laboratories, and through these experiments, it was possible to make a clearer distinction between right and wrong. When the new Turkish State was established, this wealth of experience was used extensively in formation of revolutionary principles.