Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
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| Mustafa Kemal Atatürk | |
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1st President of Turkey
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| In office October 29, 1923 – November 10 1938 |
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| Succeeded by | İsmet İnönü |
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1st Prime Minister of Turkey
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| In office 3 May 1920 – 24 January 1921 |
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| Succeeded by | Fevzi Çakmak |
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| Born | 1881 Selânik (Thessaloniki) |
| Died | November 10, 1938 Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul |
| Nationality | Turkish |
| Political party | Republican People's Party |
| Spouse | Latife Uşaklıgil (1923-1925) |
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was the first President of the Republic of Turkey and the anti-imperialist leader of Turkey until his death in 1938.
Mustafa Kemal was born in 1881. His birth place was Selânik (now Thessaloniki in Greece). He was given the name Atatürk (Father of All Turks) later. His father's name was Ali Rıza Efendi. His mother's name was Zübeyde Hanım. He also had a sister whose name was Makbule (Atadan).
When the Ottoman Empire collapsed after the First World War, Atatürk organised the Nationalist movement that established the modern secular Republic of Turkey. Visitors to Turkey are often surprised by the importance given to Ataturk in present-day Turkey.
In fact few countries have such a person in their history. Not only was he a successful military commander, but he established a democratic constitution and put in place reforms that set Turkey on the road to becoming a modern, developed nation.
His six principles still serve today as a sign post for establishing a democratic government:
- Republicanism: Replacing the hereditary monarchy with an elected parliament.
- Nationalism: Citizens working together with pride in a common interest.
- Secularism: Separating religion from government.
- Populism: The equality of all citizens before the law.
- Reformism: A constant process of development and modernisation.
- Etatism: An economic system combining private enterprise with government funded monopolies of large industries
