Rationality, modernism and Turkish conservative engineers

Abstract

This study aims to provide a background for interpretation of rational thinking and modernization in late Ottoman and Turkish Republic eras. In order to do this, the idea of rationality and rise of conservatism is reviewed by following the ideas of Weber, Habermas and Marcuse on rationality, bureaucratization and technology in the West. As a reactionary movement, main pillars of conservatism is discussed and the reflections of these ideas in late 19th, early 20th century in Ottoman Empire is given by examining the ideas of Egyptian modernist Muhammad Abduh and Mehmet Akif and in Turkish Republic era it is examined through the state ideology and conservative engineers as political figures. In this study, engineers are considered as one of the major representatives of modernization process as a profession and under the light of in-depth interviews made with conservative engineers, rational thinking and positioning of conservatism in Turkey is discussed. Keywords: Rationalism, Enlightenment, Modernity, Conservatism, Islam, EngineeringAbstract ................................................................................................................... v Öz ........................................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgments ................................................................................................ vii Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 1.Historical Background ..................................................................................... 1 2. This Study ....................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 1. Rationalism and Bureaucracy ............................................................................. 7 1.1 Rationalism from the perspective of Weber ............................................... 7 1.2 Science and Modernity ............................................................................. 15 1.2.1 The Features of Modern Society ......................................................... 15 1.2.2 Marcuse’s “One Dimensional Man” ..................................................... 18 1.3 Conservatism ............................................................................................ 22 2. Ottoman Scholars’ Ideas on Islam and Adaptation to the Modern World ....... 30 2.1 Modernism against Tradition ...................................................................... 33 2.2 The Tradition of Islamic Jurisprudence and Methodologies ....................... 35 2.3 Mehmet Akif’s Opinions on Abduh’s Thoughts ......................................... 40 2.4 Mehmed Akif’s Opinion of Science and Western Civilization .................. 43 2.5 Creating Multiple Modernities .................................................................... 45 3. Turkish Political History and the Engineers ..................................................... 50 3.1 Construction of a New Identity ................................................................... 50 3.2 Westernization ............................................................................................. 52 3.3 Economy Politics and Etatism .................................................................... 55 3.4 The Era of the Democrat Party .................................................................... 57 3.5 The Era of the Justice Party ........................................................................ 62 3.6 Necmettin Erbakan ...................................................................................... 64 3.7 Turgut Özal ................................................................................................. 69 3.8 Interpretation of Conservatism in Turkey and Conservative Engineers ..... 71 4. Conservative Engineers of Turkey - Interviews ............................................... 73 4.1 Identities of the Republic of Turkey ........................................................... 74 4.2 The Borders of Engineering ........................................................................ 79 4.3 Method and Initiative .................................................................................. 83 4.4 The Privatization of Religion ...................................................................... 84 4.5 Political Leaders Associated With the Modernization of Turkey ............... 89 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 91 References ............................................................................................................ 9