We are living in a period when the old has collapsed and the new has yet to be established. After the bipolar world, followed by a Globalization in which “ideologies died”, the world is no longer habitable and a new world balance is now being sought.
The limitless fluidity of globalization is giving way to a fragmented order, multipolar competition and regional power centers. Energy lines, trade corridors, military balances and technological superiority are being redefined.
At a time like this, power is largely being tested in the Middle East. Today, the Middle East is not just a geography; it has become a laboratory where state capacity, crisis management and political wisdom are tested. We see a reality here: When the state is weakened, either external forces or uncontrolled structures fill the vacuum. The examples of Iraq, Syria and Libya are instructive in this respect. The dissolution of the state is not only a political crisis; it also means the disintegration of the social fabric.
Iran's ability to maintain its state mechanism despite the tensions it has been experiencing for years is the main reason for the disappointment it is causing its rivals today. The fact that the state apparatus has not disintegrated despite all these difficulties, and that a certain strategic continuity can be maintained, shows that the structure we call “the state” is not only an administrative apparatus, but also a way of being.
In this period of unraveling global system and increasing uncertainties, the countries that can survive and be effective are those with strong state mechanisms. The Iranian example has demonstrated this to a certain extent, but Turkey has a much greater potential.
In the “New World Order” that will emerge, our country has important opportunities. Young population, military capacity and cultural influence are among the most important of these opportunities. The geostrategic importance of our country has increased even more today due to what is happening around us.
It is impossible for our country not to be taken into account in the new order that will be established. And the main problem for our country today will be the following: What kind of state structure and political mind should a country that wants to be an effective actor in the New World Order have? The transformation of our advantages into a power is only possible with the right “State Mind”.
First of all, this state must be accepted by society. Without this, even the strongest armies and the most advanced technologies are not sustainable. A strong state includes not only a strong government, but also a political structure that can balance the system, criticize it and produce alternatives when necessary.
Reason determines the direction of the state. Strategic wisdom is the ability to go beyond the reflexes that save the day and set long-term goals. Today, the world is full of countries paying the price of short-term populist policies. What our country needs is a holistic planning that acts with 10-20 year perspectives, from education to industry, from foreign policy to urbanization.
Therefore, strengthening the state structure is not a choice but a necessity for Turkey. However, this strengthening should not be confused with authoritarianization. On the contrary, a strong state in the modern world is one that is transparent, accountable and merit-based. This is precisely the task before our country: Rethinking the state, strengthening it and rebuilding it in the spirit of the age.
Let us look at what we are going through now: When the events in Syria became evident, the State Mind took an initiative that no one had ever thought of. It initiated the “Peace Process” so that the country would not have any problems in this period. The continuation of this process gave us the advantage to act more comfortably in Syria. Symbolically speaking, not having a Turkish-Kurdish distinction added strength to our State.
Today we are facing a bigger problem than the Syrian problem. In order for us to play a leading role in the formation of the New World Order, where nothing will be the same anymore, the State must be stronger. For this, there must be no irreconcilable divisions in our country. The most obvious political divide that can come to mind today is the right-left divide (who is how much right and how much left is another matter).
At this point, it is a necessity for the CHP to take part in the state organization today. Here, the CHP's genes, state wisdom and its experience in the founding of the world 100 years ago are important. Throughout its entire life, the CHP has either been in the State or, even when it was in opposition, it was the institution that the State gave the most importance. Knowing this, the CHP, which is the “Founder of the State”, has always been staffed with politicians with the qualities of Statesmen.
While it is obvious that the state mind has brought an unthinkable solution before us, it is highly probable that a much more probable solution will be before us in the near future. The beginning of this possibility is the emergence of a ”New CHP Administration” that carries the mind of the State and does not hold politics captive to daily events.