The following warning attributed to young politicians by İsmet İnönü, one of the founding cadres of the Republic, is a succinct description not only of an era but also of the nature of politics: “My son, stay away from yellow gold and white calves.” If this saying is still relevant despite all the years that have passed, it is because Turkish politics is characterized by continuity as much as change.
During the İnönü era, the Republican People's Party was almost identical to the state. Politics was an extension of the responsibility to protect and maintain the founding principles of the state, rather than being a field of competition and pluralism in today's sense. Within this structure, ethics was shaped by “state seriousness” and “ethics of duty” rather than individual preferences. However, this did not eliminate the corrupting influence of power; it only caused it to manifest in different forms.
İnönü's metaphors of “yellow gold” and “white calf” come into play at this very point. Politicians should not turn their public power into material gain and should not use the influence of office to serve their personal weaknesses. This warning actually expresses a universal truth about the nature of political power: Power is dangerous not when it is unchecked, but when it is not limited by an internalized ethic.
When we look at today's Turkey and the Republican People's Party, we are faced with a much more complex political picture. We are in an era of multi-party life, fierce electoral competition and the intertwining of economic, media and social dimensions of politics. Politics is now not only a struggle of ideas, but also of resources, relationships and perceptions.
This transformation makes İnönü's warning even more relevant. Today, “yellow gold” has a broader meaning that encompasses not only individual enrichment but also political financing networks, tender relations and economic spheres of influence. “White calf”, on the other hand, refers not only to individual weaknesses but also to the risk of the privileges of power turning into personal relationships and unethical interactions. The nature of politics may have changed, but the ethical vulnerabilities that threaten it have not.
Today's Republican People's Party faces this test as a political actor that carries its historical legacy but is also reshaped by social demands. For the party, which has evolved from the “state party” identity of the İnönü era to a more pluralistic and competitive structure, the main issue now is not only the struggle for power but also the ethical ground on which this struggle will be conducted.
The critical point here is this: The reputation of politics is determined not only by winning elections, but also by how that process is conducted. Adherence to ethical principles is no longer a virtue, but a fundamental condition of democratic legitimacy. When we read İnönü's quote in this context, we see that he was not only giving an individual advice, but also a warning about the health of the political system.
In conclusion, the saying “stay away from yellow gold and white calf” represents an ethical continuity from yesterday's state-centered politics to today's competitive and multi-layered political structure. Politics in Turkey may have changed, actors may have transformed and balances may have been re-established. However, the most fundamental test of politics has not changed: Distancing oneself from power and prioritizing the common good over personal interests.
Perhaps this is why İnönü's brief but stern warning is still disturbingly relevant.