The Six Arrows

The Six Arrows (Turkish: Altı Ok) is the symbol and flag of the Turkish Republican People's Party (CHP). The arrows represent the fundamental pillars of Kemalism, Turkey's founding ideology.^[1] These are Republicanism, Folkism, Nationalism, Laicism, Statism, and Reformism.^[2] The arrows are believed to have been conceived by İsmail Hakkı Tonguç,^[3] a Turkish scientist who made significant contributions to the Turkish education system.^[4] The principles of the Six Arrows were added to the Turkish Constitution on 5 February 1937. From August 1938 the flag was hoisted at all official buildings.^[5]

Flag of the Republican People's Party

Atatürk's Six Main Principles symbolized by the Six Arrows.

Principles

Republicanism

Republicanism (Turkish: Cumhuriyetçilik) is the main idea of the Republican People's Party (CHP) that embraces the sovereignty of the Republic of Turkey, encouraging civic awareness that the sovereignty belongs just to the people. According to the CHP, the idea positions the people above everything and roots of the sovereignty are sourced by the nation.^[6]

References

1. Ter-Matevosyan, Vahram (2019). Turkey, Kemalism and the Soviet Union: Problems of Modernization, Ideology and Interpretation. London & New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
2. Solak, Mustafa (5 February 2018). "Altı Ok Anayasa'ya nasıl eklendi?" [How were the Six Arrows added to the Constitution?]. Aydınlık (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
3. Uyar, Hakkı, 1930’lar Türkiye’sinde Kemalizm Algılamaları [Perceptions of Kemalism in Turkey in the 1930s] (in Turkish)
4. "İsmail Hakkı Tonguç kimdir?" [Who is İsmail Hakkı Tonguç?]. www.biyografi.info (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 May 2019.
5. Kreiser, Klaus (2012). Die Geschichte der Türkei [The History of Turkey] (in German). Munich: C. H. Beck. p. 51. ISBN 9783406640667.
6. "Republican People's Party Program" (PDF). Republican People's Party. Retrieved 16 April 2024.