English
TürkçeSome people say that our people, the youth of our country and our children are foolish that is why we are under-developed. No, they are never, never foolish. They have the ability and capacity to do the best if they are provided necessary opportunities of education and suitable conditions for scientific researches.
Our people carry out their duty by sending their children to do Military Service and by paying their taxes. A foolish nation cannot do these duties and does not help his country. Turkish people do what they are responsible. The production of technology is concerned with the government not with ordinary people. The reason why we are under-developed in Science and Technology is not our people. Their reasons are due to the past. Those who prevented the application of technology in our country until the 19th century are not the Ottoman Kings but the Ottoman Ulama (Ulama: the doctors of Muslim Theology) as in the example of printing press. From Tanzimat (Tanzimat: the political reforms of Abdulmejid in 1839 and the period following) until today, Arts such as Literature, music, painting have been more important than Science such as mathematics, physics, chemistry…The subjects that are related to technology were left behind and as a result of this, there has not been much development in these fields.
The branches of literature and art are the decorations, luxury and esthetic of this and they do not contribute to social economy much. If the main progress in a country is in the technical fields, it is beneficial then.
Even today, we notice that the numbers of the students who win Science branches are less than the ones who win Arts in the results of University Entrance Examination. The development of a society depends on the development of individuals. Our people could be very successful in technical fields, in science and mathematics if suitable conditions were provided for them. Developed countries may find out these brains and use them for their own nations.
To sum up, we say that our people are not foolish-stupid.
Our Government, the Ministry of National Education and the Universities must give the prior importance to Science keeping the Arts in the second place because the knowledge, which will improve technology, is in the fields of Science.
Note: None of the Kings or Emperors wants his throne or his property to go out of his possession. He would like to protect his throne with the guns of this era. This is a fact! Ulama (Doctors of Muslim Theology), who prevented the printing press was so powerful that even the kings were unable to do anything or they kept detaining the kings and they deceived them. This matter cannot be explained in another way.
**Kazım Yardımcı (From Adıyaman)**
25th October, 2004