Advancements In Feminism In British Society And Women's Rights In Ataturk's Turkey

Ataturk's Social Reforms and their Impact on Turkey

Several advancements in the feminism of British society were seen throughout the 1920s and 1930s, while Turkey was establishing women's rights at the time. British women in the 1930s had a difficult time dealing with the prevailing household philosophy. Feminism might appear to be the same in both nations, but the nature and purpose of its practise and aims are quite different. Cultural and socioeconomic difference have contributed to the variety of modern feminism nature, making it difficult to generalise about the impact it has had on contemporary societies and how far it has progressed in different cultures. During World War I, Kemal Ataturk was indeed a Lieutenant Commander, and he was responsible for the Ottoman troops' success at Gallipoli over Allied troops. At the age of 35, he was elevated to the rank of Major General the following year. He was therefore promoted to high-ranking positions in the military hierarchy, where he remained until 1919. Before World War I came to a close, the Ottoman Empire was totally partitioned and controlled by Allied troops, as per the Treaty of Sèvres, which was established after the war. Kemal Ataturk rejected Ottoman commands and formed a tiny army to fight for Turkish freedom from the Ottoman Empire (Adak 2014).

Kemal Ataturk was the leader of one of the most successful modernization projects the world has ever seen. He was decades ahead of the pack; he meticulously planned an exceptional social reformer, down to the smallest detail, in order to establish the today's innovative and secular government that currently exists. Secularism was implemented, as was the advancement of new, education system, founder for boys and girls, the idea for a new language, the establishment of equal rights for women, and the westernisation legal standards, clothes (Afsar 2016). 

The Ottoman Empire, which was the forerunner of the present Turkish Republic, was a theocratic dictatorship in which Islam played a key role in the conduct of governance. Women from rural areas were employed, assisting their spouses in the fields prior to Atatürk's reforms, whilst women that resided in urban areas were not authorised to work. Women were permitted to make a livelihood in certain places, provided that their jobs did not require them to interact with males. Working in the family enterprises, such as assisting in the operation of a bakery, or earning money by crocheting, needlework, or spinning carpets are all options for them. Only a small number of professionals, including female authors and poets, pushed for the liberation of females throughout history. These movements spread across Anatolia's major towns, but only a small number of them made it to the country's rural parts. As more western concepts were introduced to women who resided in metropolitan areas, the necessity for schools that catered specifically to females became more obvious. The first girl's junior high institutions were formed, as was the first women's journal, "Terakki," which was published in Finland (Bozdogan, Bozdo?an and Kasaba 1997).

Women also weren't accorded equal rights within Islamic custom and Sharia Law, and were required to "hidden" themself in order to maintain their modesty. Although not mandated by the Qur'an (Islamic holy book), but rather by the men clergy, the fundamental logic behind such a Islamic custom was very humiliating to both women and men. When it came to Islamist custom and Sharia Law, women were urged (if not compelled!) to cover oneself, to stay in the house, and to be "mothers and spouses" solely, rather than participating as equal participants in contemporary society. Females had relatively limited right to inherit, but males enjoyed extensive rights in each and every field, such as the ability to polygamy (up to four spouses) and the unilaterally power to divorce their wives by just using the word "divorce." Women were excluded from participation in normal culture. The majority of them were illiterate. As a result, these women were unable to benefit the economy or to the general growth of their respective nations.

Islam and Sharia Law's Role in Women's Rights

Ataturk was among the most radical revolutionaries in the history of human civilization world. It had been his long-held goal to see the Ottoman Empire dismantled and the establishment of a secular state. Specifically, he desired to "raise Turkish people to the level of current civilisation." These it was his own words, as he put them. Despite the fact that Ataturk desired to establish a secular government, he was not an opponent of religion. He also did not even want to portray Islam in a "Western light." Ataturk's extensive reforms were founded on this basic philosophy, which served as his guidepost throughout his life. With both the introduction of the Swiss Civil Code, he supplemented religious Sharia law with a modern, secular education system; prohibited Islamic garments such as robes and the fez; donned Western clothes himself, and demanded the same from his subjects; highlighting the importance of western values of complementary economic systems and civil dignity; and staunchly defended girls' schooling, women’s rights, and women's rights (among other things). The ability to vote for Turkish women was granted in 1934, just 14 years after the United States (1920) and many decades earlier than the Swiss women (Weiss and Tarchinskaya 2015).

Secularism is the separation of governmental issues from religious matters. The secularist ideology in Turkey emerged primarily as a response to religious fanaticism's domination over the population. Despite the fact that Islam was the national religion, Ataturk proclaimed Turkey to be a secular nation. The religious leader said that "if Islam ceases to be used as a political weapon, as has been the case historically," the faith would be "raised up." Ataturk and the founders of the Republic were extremely cautious not to criticize Islam as a religion. The philosophy of secularism was not intended to be a new concept or a religious movement to take the place of Islam in the world. The whole goal would have been to open a door to reforming Islamic ideas as well as a contemporary state.

The Ottoman Empire, including its legacy of totalitarian and religious power, remained in place till the Turkish Republic was legally created (on October 29, 1923). The implementation of the first Constitution of the Federal republic of Turkey in 1921 marked the beginning of the process of establishing a democracy in Turkey. Under Ataturk's governance, the National Assembly instituted a number of safety precautions, the most significant of which was officially atheist, in order to avoid Islamic fundamentalism from retaking control of the government structure. The Sharia courts were shut down, and Sharia law was substituted by a secular legal code patterned after the Swiss Civil Code and a criminal code designed after the Italian Criminal Code, both of which were modeled just after Swiss Basic Law.

Following the formation of the Turkish Republic, Ataturk made numerous public appearances throughout the nation, emphasizing the immediate need for regulations that would grant equal rights to women. This means that we should treat Turkish women as collaborators in just about everything, that we should share our lifestyles with them, and that we should value people as mates, assistants, and coworkers in our science-based, religious, cultural, and financial endeavors. In any culture, women are the foundations that support it and the lifeblood of the country. However, they can only carry out these responsibilities if they are properly educated and informed. They must raise up and research strong new populations. Well-educated, moral, and elegant Turkish women who are competent of garnering esteem in their communities are required by law (Pfister and Hac?softao?lu 2016).

British Women's Struggle with Patriarchal Household Philosophy

Ataturk's goal for Turkish women was that they would be well-educated, competent of becoming an equal long term partner, and able to contribute to both the home and the community with pride and self. In accordance with his goal, he implemented various changes: A strong emphasis is placed on girls' modern-day education nowadays, as is the requirement that they complete elementary school.

It is necessary to co-educate students in current, contemporary institutions so that females may attend the same institutions as boys. It is proposed to repeal the headscarf and headscarf, allowing women the liberty to dress in contemporary fashion. Removal of Sharia Law and substitution with the Swiss Basic Law, which guaranteed equality between men and women, as well as racial equality for both. Between 1926 and 1934, amendments were made to a slew of legislation and rules, resulting in full equality for men and women. Turkish women were different from their counterparts in other nations in that, instead of battling personally for their fairness and equality, they were granted these freedoms "in a Silver Tray" by Ataturk. The amendments to the Turkish civil code, particularly those impacting female rights, were a watershed moment not just in the Islamic world, but also in the Modern hemisphere as well (Pekkurnaz 2020).

The focus placed on girls' empowerment, as well as the establishment of a contemporary civil code, were the two most crucial initiatives taken in order to improve the social and economic growth of Turkish women in recent years. The Swiss Code provides for equal privileges in the fields of civil (as opposed to religious) marriages, divorce, parenting, and bequest in addition to other areas. Polygamy (the practise of having four spouses, as permitted by Sharia Law) also was outlawed. In response to Ataturk's innovations, the Turkish Republic became home to the worlds largest "first female Supreme Court Judge" (Tulay Tugcu) as well as the worlds largest "first female fighter pilot" (Ay?e Yücel) in the 1960s (Sabiha Gokcen). The first female Prime Minister of Turkey assumed office in 1993, making her the country's first female leader. As of 2001, women held more than a third of the faculty jobs at Turkish institutions of higher learning. A further point to note is that in 2001, female presidents presided over both the Turkish Constitutional Court (Anayasa Mahkemesi) and the country's highest administration court, the Cabinet of Ministers (Özcan, Günayd?n and Çitil 2016).

Following Ataturk's innovations, there had been a clear and energetic popular excitement for development and improvements throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Halkevleri (public education centres) were established across the nation and provided services to millions of people, including bookstores, culture and the arts, performances, publishing, sports activities, and other actions. The upshot is that today, Turkey has achieved 80 percent literacy and has an economic viability that is ranked in the top twenties on the world's economic list of possibilities. The country of Turkey has produced globally recognized female musicians and opera singers as well as doctors, engineers, attorneys, corporate leaders, and Olympic winners throughout the previous 90 years. Turkish women have made significant contributions to the advancement of civilization in the modern era. Before the race for votes in Turkey's inter-system had become frenzied and a "moderately Islamic" current regime got into office in 2002, there was no discussion in the country about religious issues such as transforming all contemporary style schools into Mohammed schools, favoring Sharia Law over the legal code, or covering people's clothing with head coverings (Kavas 2015).

Differences in the Nature and Purpose of Feminist Movements in Britain and Turkey

Despite the Government's periodic protestations, its activities and press pronouncements reveal that it has clear aims. - The level of religion in Turkey has significantly grown under the present government. The Government started hiring senior administrators from a select group of religious applicants, which became known as the "religious applicants pool." The number of women who cover themselves has grown dramatically, while the female "labor force" has decreased from 36 percent to 25 percent, and the proportion of women in leadership positions in administration has decreased largely as a result (Karaman 2021).

The use of "religious weddings" (Imam nikahlari) in place of marriage ceremonies, violence against women, and "honour murders" (tore cinayetleri), particularly in rural regions, have all grown significantly since 2002, with the development of conservative under the current regime. Because of religious weddings, males may break the rule of monogamy and have much more than one wife at the same time. Another concern is the issue of "child brides," which is prevalent in rural regions and poses a threat to the safety of women and children. Many young women are compelled to marry when they reach the age of 15. Children are being married off in Turkey nowadays, according the Demographic Research Center at Hacettepe College in Ankara. This is particularly true in the eastern and southern parts of the country. The present Turkish government seems to be attempting to amend the country's constitution without consulting the people. Modernity and development have made significant strides in recent years, but the present govt's Islamist origins and disregard for secularism pose serious dangers to these achievements. Nevertheless, there is a definite sense in Turkish society that the battle to maintain Ataturk's ideology, goals, and achievements will persist, and that the Republic's nationhood will be preserved as a result of this effort (Kandiyoti, 1989).

In a primarily Islamic country like Turkey, Ataturk's democratic modernization paradigm was first emulated by a non-Arab king, Reza Shah Shah of Iran, who started on an extensive reform programme along Turkish lines. Theocratic, primitive, and uneducated Islamic civilization was transformed into a sophisticated, democratic, and modern new country under the leadership of Kemal Ataturk, who was a strong leader, reformist, and brilliant diplomat: the Turkish Republican. 'Trying to elevate people to the value of actual civilization' became Ataturk's principal target and procedure, and it was a continuous, never-ending aim and process. He felt that civilisation was a widespread phenomenon in which all countries were participants, and that it was also a dynamic process. Modern education and research, as well as intelligence and rational reasoning, were the building blocks of current civilisation, according to scholars. These might put an end to religious debates and wars, and would usher in a new era of peace and growth across the globe. As a result, secularism was required in order to reduce the effect of faith and ideology on schools and community policy. In a similar vein, democratization, or the rule of the citizens, would ensure personal liberties and freedoms, as well as the involvement of the people in the governing of the country (Kagnicioglu 2017).

Challenges of Generalizing the Impact of Feminism across Various Cultures

Women's issues have made significant strides since Kemal Ataturk took office, and his contributions in such a short period of time can indeed be overstated. I spoke before about the lengthy struggle for equality that women have fought on their own behalf in both the United States and England. In my last post, I mentioned a few of the difficulties they faced; yet, that list doesn't really begin to describe the horrific narrative of their quest for democracy. In the Turkish republic, these freedoms were extended to women as a result of the revolutionary and humanitarian Kemal Ataturk's policies and actions. As someone who grew up during the Civil Revolution Of the 1960s, I am acutely aware of the precarious situation in which any government's civil and equitable rights are now found. Laws may change in an instant. Behind draperies, the civilization of the Medieval Era seems to be awaiting for us at all times. Domestic abuse, inappropriate touching, general hierarchical tyranny, love, abortion, violence against women, war, and environmental concerns were all addressed by feminists as a result of Ataturk's liberal idealistic outlook. Despite this, the overwhelming majority of Turkish women were unable to take use of these newfound liberties in their country (Jayawardena 2016).

In many respects, the Turkish Republic remains one of the best few bright spots in the Middle East region gloomy landscape. The effectiveness of a government's administration can only be determined by examining the development that has been accomplished through time and by contrasting to other nations that are in a comparable predicament. 90 years after Ataturk's changes, Turkey stood out as a "positive story" among some of the fifty-plus (50+) vast bulk nations, owing to its achievements in growth and advancement, as well as in equality of the sexes and reproductive suffrage, among other areas (Hatem 2018).

Conclusion

The Turkish women, who are now on an equivalent solid basis with men in Turkish society as a result of Ataturk's reform efforts, were previously barred from going to school, compelled to wear veils, serve as domestic servants to their married men, and otherwise kept in the backstory of all community interaction in accordance with Islamic classical and Sharia law. The position of women in Turkey still is a contentious subject. Gender disparity in the workforce and other public locations is frequently the social norm despite the fact that the law mandates equal compensation for equal labour for women. When it comes to gender responsibilities, even urban, intelligent, and skilled women come up with traditional and religious norms, which they find difficult to accept. The options available to women in Turkey nowadays are many. Tourist, in which women play a significant role, has had a more profound impact on women than on males, owing to the fact that it has actually opened the globe even for the most distant villages. The media has played a similar role in broadening the public's perception of rural women who seek higher education and pursue careers in sectors such as architecture and archaeology. Women in humanist university education account for about one-third of all students. In the process of establishing and maintaining Turkey's modernization and Western influence, Turkish women have contributed significantly more than their fair part. They will accomplish far more in the future if given the chance. May the magnificent spirit that motivated the international struggle for equal rights between men and women keep finding control in the hands of men and women like Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his successors in the years to come

References

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