Namik Kemal's ideal government view: The evaluation of articles in Ibret and Hurriyet newspapers

Mehmed Nâmık Kemâl is an important personality who carved out a niche for himself in both Turkish Literature History and Turkish Political History. Although he is superficially known as "homeland poet" and "the playwright of Vatan yâhud Silistre", his historical position is essentially far beyond of this general reputation. He is, of course, a homeland poet, a writer of Vatan yâhud Silistre, and he gave new aspects and meanings to the term of "homeland"; but at the same time, he is also a journalist who advocates the constitution and parliamentarism. So, the aim of this study is, via his journalism, dealing with Nâmık Kemâl's understandings of the terms of "homeland", "freedom" and "ideal government system" supposed to be established in Ottoman Empire. After all, during his journalism, Nâmık Kemâl wrote a great deal of satisfactory articles on population, economy, management and education issues. In order to clarify these issues, this study will focus on the three subjects mentioned above. The constitutional monarchy willed to be applied in Ottoman Empire has not naturally occurred with the Nâmık Kemâl's intellectual acts only. This constitutional monarchy also happened with the support of both Young Ottomans and some fellows from bureaucracy. But our focus point is Nâmık Kemâl, so in this study, we will not make any comparison between Tanzimat thinkers and bureaucrats, will only mention about Nâmık Kemâl and try to evaluate his thoughts of ideal state government. Key Words: Nâmık Kemâl, İttifak-ı Hamiyyet, Young Ottomans, Tanzimat, constitutional monarchy, constitutionalism, parliamentarism, separation of powers, usûl-i meşveret (method of consultation), freedom, homeland, Rüya (Dream), İbret, Hürriyet, Kanun-ı Esasî (the Ottoman Basic Law), article 113.