The measure of a country's development is not only the income per capita, the length of the highway or the number of skyscrapers. The real measure is how free art and literature are in that country. Because literature is the conscience of society, not the conscience of those in power. Silenced literature is actually the mirror of a silenced society.
One of the first names that comes to mind when it comes to the voice of Anatolia is Yaşar Kemal. Ince Memed is not only the hero of a novel, but also the symbol of Anatolian people standing up against injustice. Yaşar Kemal's strength lies not only in his powerful descriptions, but also in his ability to write about oppression, landlordism and poverty without fear. That is why he has earned a place in world literature. Because true literature reaches the universal only through freedom.
Zülfü Livaneli stands in the same line. Livaneli is one of the rare artists who fuses music and literature, East and West, individual pain and social wound in the same pot. His novels and songs share a common thread: human dignity.
When it comes to poetry, Cemal Süreya should take the floor. His verses do not belong to state ceremonies, but to the streets, to love, loneliness and the sharp knife of irony. Where poetry is not free, even love is incomplete.
And of course Nazım Hikmet is at the source of all these veins. Prisons, exile, bans... Despite this, if his verses are still read today, it is because the truth cannot be chained.
These names are not exceptions; they are representatives of a tradition. Orhan Veli, Attilâ İlhan, Oğuz Atay, Tezer Özlü and many others are the literary equivalent of free thought.
History shows us clearly: In censored countries, literature remains silent or becomes a propaganda pamphlet. In free countries, literature disturbs, questions and challenges.
In conclusion, if art and literature are free in a country, that country is doomed to develop. If it is not free, no matter how rich it is, it is culturally poor.