TRAMvay 17
1) The word “communism” is redolent of Soviet Union and a lot of people view the collapse of USSR as equivalent to the collapse of communism. Do you agree with this idea? Do you believe that the Soviet rule was a form of government that reflected the concept of communism? (Melis Birgen)
“Marx is a philosopher who best understood capitalism and most hopeful of it.”
Yalçın Sadak, who is a strong Marxist, defines communism and Marxism as two different concepts. According to him there was never a communist government in Soviet Union or in any other countries. Communism is an ideology based on the idea that after all the countries go under a socialist rule only then a communal society could be formed.
The reason of the collapse of communism in Soviet Union and in other countries is the fact that communism was deprived of economical earnings compared to other system it competed with, capitalism. There isn’t a wide market in communist, socialist system. USA sells technology, guns and lots of other things to countries all around the world and because of this they have a great income.
Though, when USA and Soviet Union got into an arm war and in order not to lose in this competition Soviet Union reserved all their resources to armament. Thus, the economic system in USSR started not to work.
As long as Marxism is alive, it is the greatest critical dynamic of capitalism.
Marx understood that there was a great revolutionary force in capitalism. Marxism is an ideology that has great revolutionary potential and is a great hope for the future.
2) Even though Socialism as an ideology has become notorious together with the fall of Soviet Union, do you think this ideology is still alive? (Güvenç Kutlusoy)
“Today it is not possible to be a “Socialist” because there is no such thing as the working class”
Mr. Sadak tells that Socialists are not after such an ideology. Socialists believe that the industrial revolution was an irrevocable change that has completely changed the basis of agrarian societies. The new system that came with the industrial revolution has three resources. The philosophical component being Nietzsche, economical component being Marx and psychological component being Freud. These people have stressed the importance of individual and people through their ideologies. While Nietzsche believed that moral values are bounding our liberties, Freud was the first scientist who came up with the idea of unconsciousness. Lastly, Karl Marx has reiterated the fact that although individuals are important, the plight of the working class cannot be ignored. These three people shape the framework of what we call as “modernity”. The more spaces amongst these three components get closer, the more humanity becomes more hopeful. Lastly, literarily there are no Socialists today because there is no working class. Capital is spread around the world and therefore there are micro-resistance groups that are far away from each other. If these groups manage to unite, then there may be a world without any government or any authorities.
3) Do you think Socialism is visible in Obama’s administration? What do you think about his solutions to the financial cliff? (Güvenç Kutlusoy)
“We have to obtain an ideology in which there are no boundaries. Different ideologies can be used in different occasions.”
Mr. Sadak tells that in the past four years, Europe has been in a deep financial crisis. The solutions brought by governments are influenced by Socialist ideologies. Due to the effects of free market capitalism, the governments failed to regulate the markets properly and therefore, their solutions for today’s problem contain state involvement, which of course reflects Socialism. The leftists mock today’s situation since those who used to slander Socialism, need to use this ideology to solve their problems. What I believe is that we have to obtain an ideology in which there are no boundaries. Different ideologies can be used in different occasions.
4) Can there be democracy without secularism? Where do you see Turkey 10 years later? (Umut Şen, Cem Cedetaş)
“It is meaningless to even discuss secularism.”
Secularism changes from country to country. The European Countries have existed longer than Turkey. Due to this it is possible to discuss secularism over there. But Turkey is a newly founded republic so it is meaningless to discuss secularism here. My thought on Islam is not the same as another person. Even though the prime minister looks secular, he has religious elements at his background. But everyone has this. Todays democracy in Turkey is a puppet democracy which seems like a democracy. So it is not a democracy. Democracy is ruling system that, takes the 1% of people who are against the 99% of people, under a legal guarantee. But it is not tolerance, it is legal. I think it is meaningless to worry about the things that happen after a decade. The changes that will happen in 10-20-30 years are big so don’t worry about it. We don’t have to worry about these changes.
5) We can see from Iran and Egypt that everyone is able to make news with their phones. Does it mean that media is now in the hands of the citizens? If so, do you think that the power of media has changed? (Sigal Maya)
“Invisible friendships form visible powers.”
Media power is an important weapon. Person, who seizes it, can capture the masses. The most important weapon is Internet. Invisible friendships generate visible powers and forms of resistance. Couple of phrases like “Let’s go to Taksim” is enough to gather people. Power used by overbearing and oppressive attitude does not work. Media and Internet are free platforms and offers new possibilities. The liberating power that holds the greatest potential and power is communication. The carrier of it is media.
6) What is your opinion on the meetings with Imralı? (Derin Dölen)
“It is the attractions of the politics.”
I have not viewed it in a nationalist sense. Is Apo someone I support? No, he is not. But a society has its own will and they are seeing Apo as a leader. Within this view, he represents Kurdish people and an authority. This problem is not going to be solved by bombing. They have to proceed to more beneficial solutions.
7) What do you think about Erdoğan’s said above ‘Muhteşem Yüzyıl’? He said:” We didn’t recognize Kanuni and Sultan Süleyman like this. I condemn the director. The judgment should give the necessary decision about it. Should there be any responsibility of each tv series? (Debi Çakar)
These thing are issued by the totalitarian people. This is a scandal. Everything that is done in the name of art should be better or worse. The best will always succeed and the worse one will end. Authoritarian people always want to see the things that they had decided. Such a tragicomic event that Turkey has lived. Mostly, it is comic. Eventually, these people have an important place in the history. These are the ramblings of the prime minister.
8 ) Is your current political views same as your youth? If there is a difference, what is your process of change? Did you have a significant event that led you change your opinions? (Melisa Raptopulos)
“The view of ‘damn world’ is to be diffident.”
I change my mind everyday in political sense. I was a member of a left party for 10 years. We were printing newspaper and writings, and we also had meetings. But after our active work, I had a hopeless 5 or 6 years. I lost my hope in world and capitalism. Then I decided that I should not be diffident, rather I started to give a healthier struggle. I started to dance on a cliff and I am still dancing since that day.
In the last elections, I voted to the former leftist independent parliamentarian from BDP. Before that I voted for CHP. My votes are not in the sense of complacency, but I can compromise in the world I live in. I believe I could be a democrat because I abominate conservatives and liberals. While conservatives are living in the past with their precious values, liberals associate the exchange of hearts with money. In both cases there is no justice. Because of that I am fascist.
9) Do you believe that people are voting consciously? (Melisa Raptopulos)
“If there were not people who believed in religion, the books can be used for humor.”
If I have asked you a question: How much will you be a happy in world that there are no elections?
We have to defend multitude, rather than the majority. Every individual has the right to vote, but there are people who follow a religious leader. Injustice comes out from the use of freewill. For instance people who studies religious books since their childhood are afraid and choose to follow the majority. Religious books’ pages are all about hell which have expressive images that frighten people. If people are not following a mass and can explain their reasons for their vote, they can elect anyone they want. This way individuals rise from the community.
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