Modernization in Turkiye : an analytical study on Attila Ilhan (1925-2005) and Necmettin Erbakan (1926-2011)

Abstract

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.