Microsoft Word mitatcelikpaladokto doc

 
 
 
137 
 
Therefore, the North Caucasian intellectuals felt themselves to take this 
issue particularly and more seriously. For a first time, Barasbi Baytugan analyzed 
the nationality issue in Gortsy Kavkaza in reference to the psychological 
motives.
362
 He looked all the relationship between nation and union and 
emphasized that this kind of an amalgamation already existed in the North 
Caucasus. He pointed out that the common historical destiny, neighbourhood, and 
close connections for centuries were the main cements of this union. 
The most comprehensive article on the issue was Balo Bilatti’s ‘Milli 
Hareketlerin  İdeolojik Esasları’ (The Ideological Principles of the National 
Movements). He wrote it in an academic manner, and discussed whether the North 
Caucasian nation is existed or not.
363
 
In this article, Bilatti asserted ‘the nations’ right to independence’ or self-
determination as the core of his argumentation. In the first part, he analyzed the 
development and transformation of this right from 17
th
 century’s philosophers, 
Locke, Voltaire, Diderot, and D’Alemberte to the principles of Wilson. According 
to him, in the 19
th
 century there were two main currents. The first, was brought into 
existence by small ‘prisoner nationalities’, to free themselves from the yoke of big 
imperial powers, such as the secessionist movements of 19
th
 century in Turkey and 
Russia. The other was the current of small states aiming to unify to create a single 
powerful political entity, like the unification of the Germans and the Italians. 
                                                 
362
 Barasbi Baytugan, January/February 1933. “Uzun Geçmişimiz Hakkında Birkaç Söz,” Gortsy 
Kavkaza, (Warsaw), 35/36: 26-30. 
363
 Balo Bilatti, April 1934. “Milli Hareketlerin İdeolojik Esasları,” Gortsy Kavkaza, (Warsaw), 50: 
5-11. It was reprinted in Birleşik Kafkasya, (İstanbul), November-December-January 1965-66, 2(6): 
1-10. Hereafter “Milli”. 

---

 
 
 
138 
 
From this perspective, Bilatti suggested that the struggle of the North 
Caucasians against the Russian Empire was an example of the first type. It was 
based on the principle of the nations’ right to self-determination. Additionally, it 
depended mainly on the understanding of the ‘national unification of the 
mountaineers’. The Russians however, despite their strong support for the struggles 
of small nationalities in Europe, were inexorably fighting with all the nationalities 
that were struggling for their independence within the boundaries of Russia and 
Eastern Europe. Nevertheless Bilatti argues, the notion of the ‘sovereignty of 
nations’ reached its peak in the principles of Wilson. He believed that “this right 
could only be turned into a dynamic power, under the condition that, when a group 
of people associate themselves with a common interest and they accordingly define 
themselves as a nation”
364
 
Therefore, the key point was the creation of a nation. For this reason, in 
order to determine the ideological pillars of the North Caucasian independence 
movement, the phenomenon of ‘national sentiment’ and ‘nation’ have to be defined 
clearly. In the second part of his article Bilatti focused on the historical evolution of 
these terms. With the help of the main contenders like Mazzini, and E. Renan he 
reached his definition of a nation, which was mainly subjective in content. “The 
nation, first and foremost means a common sentiment and purpose, a spirit which 
disguised within a common historical past, and a will on the common destiny.”
365
 
According to Bilatti, this definition was in full compliance with the realities 
of the North Caucasus. Despite the existence of ‘tribal differences’, the North 
                                                 
364
 Bilatti, “Milli,” 5. 
365
 Bilatti, “Milli,” 9. 

---

 
 
 
139 
 
Caucasians have common historical background which was accepted as 
‘consecrated’ by each and every Mountaineer. 
“Civil and cultural values are the products of the common life continuing 
for centuries within the identical borders. At last, the ultimate objective of 
these values is living within the borders of the national boundaries 
collectively. 
The sole inconvenient condition in front of the North Caucasian national 
unity is the lack of common language. However, …the common language is 
not an indispensable instrument and has no important role over the 
establishment of a national union. Being a multi-lingual nation could not be 
disturbed anyone so much. Following the removal of the factors that are 
hampering the development of the North Caucasus, the language problem 
could be solved easily. The strength of the elements of the ‘national unity’ 
would help to solve this problem.”
366
 
 
Later on, in his article ‘Şimali Kafkasyalılar’ın Esareti,’ (The Captivity of 
the North Caucasians) which was published in Gortsy Kavkaza, Abat
367
 argued the 
issue from a different perspective and analyzed the reasons for the failure to 
establish a union or a nation in the North Caucasus.
368
 He particularly stressed that 
the indispensable and necessary conditions, which bind members of a nation 
together, such as religion, customs, language, race, and unified fatherland were, 
absent in the North Caucasus. Moreover, he pointed out, it was almost impossible 
to speak about the existence of ‘common enlightenment’, which was the main 
reason for the North Caucasians’ captivity. 
According to Abat, religion, language, blood and race, compatriotizm and 
common customs are the complementary elements of a nation. For the North 
                                                 
366
 Bilatti, “Milli,” 10. 
367
 Abat was one of the pennames of Tevfik Çiper (1901-72), an Abkhaz. He was born in the village 
of Akpınar, Adana. Following his graduation from the İstanbul University Law Faculty, he has been 
worked for Turkish Ministry of Justice. 
368
 Abat, September-October 1933. “Şimali Kafkasyalılar’ın Esareti,” Gortsy Kavkaza, (Warsaw), 
43: 5-18 and 44: 2-6. It was reprinted in Kuzey Kafkasya Kültür Dergisi,  (İstanbul), 14: 76/78, 
January-July 1990, 20-27. Hereafter “Esaret”. 

---