The will that founded the Republic considered criticism as a power. Today, within the same tradition, criticism is often excluded.
“There you defeated not only the enemy but also the misfortune of the people...”
More than a military victory, it was the expression of a people's will to change their destiny. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's address to İsmet İnönü summarized not only İnönü II but also the idea of the Republic.
The 2nd İnönü Victory, where fate was defeated, reminds us of the same responsibility today: not to remain silent, to question and to protect the values of the Republic with determination.
105 years have passed. On that day there was the struggle against imperialism; today there is a quieter but equally critical test: a test of democracy, political culture and institutional coherence.
The cadres who founded the Republic not only won the war, but also established a political ground where criticism was not seen as a threat but as a means of development. The following words of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk make this understanding clear:
“When you see something wrong in the party, you will criticize unconditionally.”
This approach is not just a leader's advice; it is also the basis of the Republic's understanding of politics. Because without criticism, there is no development, and without different voices, healthy politics is not possible.
However, today's debates, especially within the Republican People's Party, make us question how compatible we are with this legacy. The fact that different voices within the party are becoming less and less audible, that criticism is often met with exclusionary reflexes, and that the perception of “one voice” is growing stronger all point to a remarkable drift.
However, İsmet İnönü's political practice was based on consultation and pluralism even in difficult times. The existence of different opinions was not seen as a threat, but as an element of balance. Today, on the other hand, criticism is often labeled as a “disciplinary problem” and different opinions as “betrayal”.
This picture inevitably raises the question:
Why does a political tradition that has overcome its misfortune become intolerant of criticism within itself?
Current political developments have to be evaluated not only in terms of the government, but also in terms of the standard of democracy within the opposition. Because a structure that cannot sustain pluralism within its own ranks will find it difficult to present its promise of greater freedom to the public in a convincing way.
Isn't the youth's distancing from politics today, the withdrawal of critical voices and the weakening of the sense of hope partly the result of this introversion?
However, the spirit of the 2nd İnönü Victory is not only a military success, but also the ability to preserve reason, common will and critical thinking even under difficult conditions. Atatürk's call for “unconditional criticism” is precisely the political equivalent of this spirit.
Conclusion;
Commemorating the 2nd Inönü Victory is not only a tribute to the past. This victory also offers us a road map for today: A political understanding that is not afraid of criticism, that opens space for different voices and strengthens democratic functioning within itself.
Because real victory is won not only at the front, but also in ideas, criticism and pluralism. Defeating misfortune was a beginning; preserving it is today's responsibility.