This anecdote is from İsmet Özel; since I couldn't find the original one anywhere, I felt the need to record it.
This anecdote is from İsmet Özel; since I couldn't find the original one anywhere, I felt the need to record it.
Mehmet Ali Aybar was the leader of the Turkish Workers' party in 1960s, but he had conflicting ideas with the Orthodox Marksist-socialist groups. For example, he opposed the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Russian army. In addition to this, he believed that each historical period and geography had its own dynamics; therefore, Marxism had to be evaluated in this context. Marxisim could only be meaningful when it was evaluated in its own historical context, and the important thing was to evaluate and shape Marxism according to the dynamics of time and place. This is why he supported the idea of "Socialism tailored for Turkey", and he tried to spread this idea.
Like in every school of thought, Marxist-socialist groups have had their own bigots and conservatives. When Mehmet Ali Aybar started to move away from the traditional, Orthodox Marxist-socialist ideas, he was criticized by these conservatives.
During a convention of such a leftist group, Mehmet Ali Aybar was being criticized. Talking about Aybar, one of the "comrades" in the group said loudly:
-This man is obviously out of line. Look at him, he is denying Marx's words!
On hearing these words, another comrade answers him:
-Well my friend, we came here denying God's words, Marx's words are no big deal!
Read this story in Turkish.
YORUMLAR