Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Quotes


With a view to assuring our national and economic development, and giving the country a more regular and more modern administration, the signatories of the present pact consider the possession of complete independence and liberty as the sine qua non of our national existence. In consequence, we oppose all juridical or financial restrictions of any nature which would arrest our national development. The conditions of settlement of our proved debts shall likewise not be contrary to these principles.


Context

Ataturk drafted the declaration before he had come to power and it was signed by a number of the Turkish leaders. It was designed to try and rebuild Turkey after its disastrous foreign policy and military decisions joining Germany in fighting WWI. The Turks thought of this as their “Magna Carta”.


Citations

Kemal Ataturk, 1881-1938, 1st President and founder of the Turkish Republic Turkish Manifesto, Article 6, Sivas, September 13, 1919

Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations

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Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
  • Born: May 19, 1881
  • Died: November 10, 1938
  • Nationality: Turkish
  • Profession: Leader

Kemal Atatürk was a Turkish field marshal, revolutionary statesman, author, and the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, serving as its first president from 1923 until his death in 1938. He undertook sweeping progressive reforms, which modernized Turkey into a secular, industrial nation. Ideologically a secularist and nationalist, his policies and theories became known as Kemalism. Due to his military and political accomplishments, Atatürk is regarded as one of the most important political leaders of the 20th century.