Mahmut Esat Bozkurt in the reconstruction of the new Turkish state (1892-1943)

m ABSTRACT Mahmut Esat, through out his education years from Istanbul to Lozan, was aware of the importance of freedom in a country where there was none. He understood the significance of consciousness of being a Turk, while inside the boarders of his country being a Turk was be littled and outside its boarders, it was perceived as being a "barbar." Esat especially comprehended the value of independence in his country where it was colonized by several countries through capitulations. He witnessed end of a six hundred years old empire and birth of a new country. Mahmu Esat, sometimes with his gun, sometimes as a parlementer in Turkish National Assembly, sometimes as a goverment member and sometimes as an intellectual writing for newspapers took active role in the establishment of a contemporary Turkey. During the most difficult days of the independence war, in a burnt down and destroyed country, at the age of thirty, he became the Ministry of Economy. İn a time when the theocratic thought dominated the social structure he undertook the responsibility of Ministry of Justice. M. Esat organized the first economy congress and for the first time guided the Turkish nation on how to gain economic independence. He emphasized the importance of national economy and the principle of social state. When he was the Minister of Justice, with his legislations he established the roots of a contemporary, secular country and a social structure. He combated against bribery. He defended the principles of Atatürk' s revolutions. From the very first day of independence War Mahmut Esat answering the question of how to structure a new Turkey, became one of the first theorist of the Kemalist ideology. Mahmut Esat, Turkish National Assembly, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Justice, Kemalist Ideology.