Browsing by Author "Alwi"

Priangan residency was situated in the south-western part of Java. The economy of its population was somewhat better compared to those of Central and East Java due to different policies and different kinds of compulsory crops implemented by the colonial rule in the region. The introduction of the Ethical Policy in 1900 had given more opportunities to the natives of Priangan as well as to those living in the other regions, in terms of enhancing their economy and welfare. This study discusses the economic policy of the colonial government in Priangan, West Java from 1900 to 1942 and how it affected the native society. It also examines how the natives of Priangan responded to the new economic challenges, whether they were able to get benefit from the Ethical Policy and whether or not their welfare was improved by it. The result of this study shows that the economic activities of the native society in Priangan during the Ethical Period had expanded significantly from agriculture to industry and commerce, particularly in the field of textile, cigarette, crafts and bank cooperative. Even in agriculture, some native farmers were able to work together and established cooperative enterprises. The time period of this study also witnessed the emergence of a number of native entrepreneurs in Priangan. However, the study also finds that there was no structural change up to the end of the colonial period regarding the economic stratification in the Netherlands East Indies. Despite its improved economic condition, the natives remained at the bottom of the socio-economic level as they had previously been.

This study explores the perspectives of Attila Ilhan and Necmettin Erbakan, two influential figures with contrasting worldviews, on Turkiye’s modernization process. Utilizing a comparative methodology, the research first examines the concepts of modernization and Westernization, highlighting their distinctions. The findings reveal that non-Western modernization theory emerged as a critical response to modernization theorists who conflated modernization with Westernization. To substantiate this theory, the modernization trajectories of Japan and Malaysia are analyzed as successful and applicable examples. The study identifies a persistent misconception in Turkiye and beyond, where modernization and Westernization—conceptually distinct processes—have often been erroneously equated by modernizers, both historically and in contemporary discourse. Tracing Turkiye’s modernization journey from the late Ottoman period, the research demonstrates that this conflation originated during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II, persisted through the Tanzimat reforms, and became entrenched in the policies of the Republic of Turkiye under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Following Atatürk’s death, İsmet İnönü’s presidency marked a period of reflection, during which the concepts of Westernization and modernization were re-examined with greater nuance, revealing a modernization process heavily influenced by Western cultural paradigms. By analyzing the ideas of Attila İlhan and Necmettin Erbakan, the study concludes that both thinkers critically assessed Türkiye’s modernization as flawed, arguing that it leaned more toward Westernization than genuine modernization. Ultimately, this research provides an in-depth evaluation of Türkiye’s modernization process by identifying historical missteps and advocating İlhan and Erbakan’s perspectives for a modernization model that aligns with Türkiye’s cultural traditions, historical legacy, and societal values, rather than uncritically adopting Western frameworks. The study asserts that an alternative, culturally resonant modernization path is possible and essential for Türkiye’s future development.