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1 Available Online at (c) EJRE published by International Association of Social Science Research - IASSR ISSN: European Journal of Research on Education, 2013, Special Issue: Human Resource Management, European Journal of Research on Education Reflection of economic development policy of the earlier period of republic in education; reforms in professional education and education of economics: An instance with Hayat Mecmuasi Yasemin Işık a * a Researcher, Gazi University, Institution of Social Sciences, Ankara, Turkey Abstract Turkish Republic fought to become an independent, democratic and modern society since the day it was founded. A great development thrust was initiated in order to reach to the level of Western States. Becoming westernized was no longer an objective. Different from superficial restructuring movements of previous terms, civilization and cultural transformation was aimed as the target of reforms. Economics was in the centre of reform movements as a result of the perfect historical analysis made by founders of the Republic led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The period between 1920 and 1933 is the preparation period for economic, social and cultural development of the New Turkish State. In his reform movements, Mustafa Kemal focused his efforts on preparing the social, political, legal and cultural environment required for economic development. Journals of the Early Republican Period undertook the duty of raising the awareness about the social, economic, political and cultural reforms initiated by Mustafa Kemal with the purpose of creating the new society in the process of establishing a nation-state and ensuring the adoption thereof by the public. Hayat Mecmuasi, one of the most important periodical publications of the Republican Period with its collection of 146 issues, published between 2 December 1926 and 5 May 1930 as the voice of the new and modern Turkish State served towards preparing the cultural environment within the framework of reforms initiated to achieve the economic development. Authors of the journal standing out with their articles on professional education and education of economics in the country are Lead Author Mehment Emin (Erisirgil), Kadri Bey, Cemal Husnu Bey, Mehmet Servet Bey, Ihsan (Sungu) and Ismail Husrev Bey; there is also an unsigned article on the same subject European Journal of Research on Education by IASSR. Keywords: Economic development policy in the early republican period, profession education, education of economics, Hayat Mecmuasi; 1. Introduction Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasa described a social law prevailing in each state and all periods of history as follow by analysing Turkish History (Aysan 2000:46; Tokgoz 2007: 45): If Turkish History is analysed in real terms, it would be understood that the reasons of regression and fall is nothing but economic problems. Victories won and collapses suffered are all outcomes of the economic situation. Making this important analysis, Mustafa Kemal focused his efforts on preparing the environment required for economic development through momentous changes (Goze 2006:363); he made extensive interventions to the economy in order to achieve economic development in `education, health, social, security, transportation and communication` as well as standard state services such as providing the security and dispensing justice. * address: yasemin_261@hotmail.com

2 Yasemin Işık He focused his efforts on compilation-assembly, building the infrastructure, reorganizing the economy by placing the economy in the centre of the New Turkish State, reform and revolution movements (Zarakolu 1977:48). Although the main objective of the economic development was set as industrialization, the significance of agriculture was maintained in the Republican Period as it used to be during Ottomans (Karluk 1997:165; Ozkul 2009:285). Importance was given to construction of railways in parallel with efforts of increasing the agricultural output and productivity, the policy of interlacing Turkey with iron nets was set as a target. Railway and port authorities, mining corporations owned by privileged foreign companies and enterprises providing water, electricity, gas, communication and transportation services to major cities were acquired by the State and nationalized with the purpose of preventing the economic estrangement. Furthermore, efforts were focused on establishment of credit institutions and an effective organization required for the financing of the economic development (Cem 1975: 298). Our national philosophy of economics` including `positive science, pragmatism, dynamism and identification of individuals with the public welfare` was adopted by the National Economy Congress organized on February 1923 in Izmir (State Planning Organization 1981: 155; Akyildiz-Eroglu 2004:45). Free market conditions were aimed with the development policy adopted in the Congress for the first decade of the Republic; `the policy of state control` appeared as an alternative starting from the mid-1930s with the purpose of accelerating the industrialization as a result of 1929 economic crisis in the world; planned industrialization under the guidance of the state was set as an objective (Karluk 1997: 202; Ozkul 2009:285). The strategy of economic development adopted in the National Economy Congress, various conveniences provided for industrial enterprises with ` the Law for the Encouragement of Industry` introduced in 1927 took effect in early years of the Republic and gross national product (GNP) increased continuously except for the year 1927 between 1923 and 1929 (Kuyucuklu 1993: 180; Ozkul 2009: ). In brief, the principle of economic development and industrialization thrust under the guidance of public sector and state-owned economic enterprises was adopted in the Early Republican Period. Mustafa Kemal, frequently mentioned that the level of economic growth and development is directly related with scientific and technical development, utilities of social life owned and used by the country and a modern education system consistent with the requirements of the century (Ulken 1997: ). He made effort to eliminate debauchedness about becoming a civil servant which was one of the most prominent reasons of the regression; he set education of a new and active type of individual as a target. According to Mustafa Kemal, knowledge is not an accessory, a tool of luxury or pressure; it should be a usable tool bringing success in life; young people in various academic ranks should be educated with `applied information effective` in economic life (Akyuz 2006: ). Following the path drawn by Mustafa Kemal who pointed the target of educating `a new type of individual helpful, effective and practical in industry, agriculture and arts` through a national education system consistent with the needs of modern industrial societies, developments and changes in the world where wisdom and science prevails (Akyuz 2006: ), Hayat Mecmuasi served towards arisig the enthusiasm among public about economic development, devotion to progress; namely, achieving the transformation in mentality. Mehmet Emin (Erisirgil), lead author of the journal, made recommendations to the State in his articles questioning professional education targets, the relationship between education and economic development policy of the Republic. The status of economics and education in Turkey was analysed in an undersigned article in Hayat Mecmuasi; `the development of education and manipulative skills through practice` in professional education was analysed around the relevant examples in the West in an article undersigned by Kadri Bey. Mehmet Servet Bey, discussed the applicability of secondary education programs in real life while criticizing the general education policies in Turkey. Ihsan (Sungu) published an article evaluating ideas presented by John Dewey in a conference on cultural transmission in professional education organized in Columbia University in In the journal, Ismail Husrev Bey is the author who analysed the nature of our economic development and education in the light of information acquired from the works of American and Russian Economists (Robin, Professor of Economics, Moscow University and Motilyof, Professor of Economics in Leningrad University) on the science of economics and education of economics. All of the aforementioned discussions are analysed in this study. 120

3 Reflection of economic development policy of the earlier period of republic in education; reforms in professional education and education of economics: An instance with Hayat Mecmuasi 2. Articles on Professional Education, Economic Development and Education of Economics Published in Hayat Mecmuasi Beginning its publication life in Ankara and showing the colours of pragmatism and life philosophy under the leadership of Mehmet Emin (Erisirgil) and Avni (Basman) (Ulken 2001:427), Hayat Mecmuasi, stood for the principles and reforms of Ataturk and played an important role in adoption thereof by literate individuals (Ucman 1998:12). Aiming to create an intellectual movement in parallel with the national spirit arose during the Independence War, Hayat Mecmuasi made an attempt to create the philosophy of the Republican reforms and developed the philosophy `the truth and what we need is whatever is beneficial for the reform` based on pragmatism (Kafadar 2000: 234; Isik 2009:259). Adopting the quote from Nietzsche For life, always for life, We bring more life into the World! given under the headline Life on the first page of each issue as a mission, Hayat Mecmuasi (Isik 2009:258) adopted the initial objective of educating individuals and the society in parallel with the philosophy of Republican reforms and cultural background, telling about motives, characteristics and legitimacy of Turkish reforms to the rest of the world, and guiding Turkish Youth towards science and arts in order to create respect (Erisirgil 1926:1-2). Articles on reforms, nationalism, sociology, philosophy and history are of vital importance in periodical publications when compared with others. Standing for the idea of combining westernization and national culture and understanding the values taking the West further, Hayat Mecmuasi became the strict follower of each reform and presented ideas on progression to authorities in its columns (Isik 2009: ). The journal undertook the mission of laying theoretical foundations for the dynamism of Ataturk`s reforms (Kafadar 2000: 227; Isik 2009: 260). Hayat Mecmuasi focused on subjects such as banking methods, insurance, credits, cooperatives, factories and machinery, free capital, discussed the relationship of economic development efforts with education and made recommendations for the new Turkish State. Mehmet Emin (Erisirgil), lead author of the journal, discussed the possible new approach with respect to professional education in his article Professional Education (1929:103); he emphasized science and proficiency in every field as anchor points of the Republic. Reporting that responsibilities of states on education and training changed due to new circumstances created by industrial revolution and Western states established an education system by introducing compulsory elementary education with the objective of educating citizens adapting the industrial life with a capacity to undertake responsibilities brought by democracies, Erisirgil stated that such an education system should be established in our country, too,in order to accelerate the economic development and production. He wrote that new education model should be based on the objective and principle of educating individuals serving within the framework created by the economic life of the new period; education and learning should have a capacity to give skills required by production, commerce and business life. He invited authorities to regulate apprenticeship-semiskilled labour education in order to train intermediate staff members, technicians and workers of the new Turkish Republic; to send students to Europe in order to train professionals and engineers; he invited government institutions, municipalities and other enterprises to provide all kinds of services in order to establish the required professions. The articled undersigned by Kadri Bey was published with the headline Manipulative Skills and Education (1928: ). In this article, Kadri Bey emphasized four important subjects: Numerous state education programs have been changed; Turkish Republic should organize its education system based on new educational needs and concepts; schools should be improved to comply with the conditions of the time and meet modern requirements; students and educators should not be limited with books. The objective of the new education system should be practice ; students should comprehend the existence of matter by feeling with the five senses, using example and processing through manipulative skills. Job training- manipulative skills training should be consistent with development periods of students (both mental and physical). Principles of promotion through apprenticessemiskilled-skilled levels should be made clear during job training. 121

4 122 Yasemin Işık In his article named Our Education-Learning Policy (1929: ), Cemal Husnu Bey emphasized education for the development of economic powers and economic powers for the diffusion of education are of equal importance thus these fields are supplementary for each other : Western States with the increased demand for practical knowledge and high number of staff members as a result of highly developed industry and commerce increased the number of Technical High Schools in addition to universities. In our country, the number of Technical High Schools should be increased, Business and Agricultural Schools should be opened, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Economics should contribute to education by establishing various craft unions. In his article named A Matter of Education (1929:57) Mehmet Servet Bey, criticized general education policy in Turkey and underlined that education-training programs inconsistent with developmental characteristics of the youth draw young individuals away from schools, teachers and life; it leads them to dangerous channels of the external world, therefore they are always in conflict with the order. According to Servet, the solution is to prepare programs by taking main characteristics of the youth into consideration and consulting their opinions with the purpose of giving them a life philosophy. Ihsan (Sungu), provided a translation of the lecture given by American Professor John Dewey in Columbia University, New York in 1925 in his article named Culture and Professionalism in Education (1927: ). Dewey, argued that education should be life-oriented. According to him, the objective of education institutions, particularly universities, should not only be providing students with an occupation. Schools are the best places for cultural transmission. Curriculums should aim to develop the love of research, scientific knowledge and critical perspective in students; culture is a tool in achieving such objectives. Mehmet Emin (Erisirgil), in his article named, The National Production and Training (1927: ), discussed economic policies of the new Turkish Republic and its efforts of enhancing the national production and emphasized the matter of increasing the national production as an important matter of education: Illiteracy is the reason of low level of economic development in the country and negative factors influencing the education persist. One aspect of the target of increasing the national production is based on education- training responsibility of the state. Authorities responsible for the development of Commercial and Agricultural life should be in collaboration with educational institutions and they should support scientific researches. Only a good education- training policy would make citizens to increase the capacity to work thus carry out production activities with high level of awareness. Mehmet Emin reproachfully wrote that we acquire information on natural resources of our own country from researches of foreigners and relay such information to our students. Mehmet Emin also emphasized that two foreign experts- Omer Buysa from Belgium and the Principal of Agricultural Education in Prussia- invited to the country found economic aspect of education programs in teacher`s training schools insufficient. The status and problems of economics in Turkey was discussed in an undersigned article of the journal with headline The Science of Economics in Our Country (1927:127): Turkey barely does anything for the education of economics; this grim reality should be understood immediately. No single research was published in Turkey with respect to economics. Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Education should collaborate with Chamber of Commerce to establish a Library of Economics and publish a Journal of Economics; independent economists should work under the umbrella of Association of Economists based on common ideas. An independent Faculty of Economics should be opened in parallel with examples in Europe. Three- four professorship chairs in universities should be increased to fifteen-twenty chairs. Education of economics is provided with old methods; students are taught old theories of economics. A reform should be initiated in education of economics; programs consistent with the new education approach of the West should be introduced. Ismail Husrev Bey introduced the education of economics in our schools during that period to his readers in three articles he published in Hayat Mecmuasi based on examples of educational reforms in the western countries (1927:87-88; 1928: ; 1928: ): American and Russian economists made the first reform in economics and education of economics. Robin, Professor of Economics in Moscow University, wrote the first book of economics in two volumes as a guideline for education of economics in In the first volume of the book, Robin gave examples to main types of industry; he summarized the methodology for education of economics in the second volume. Exemplary surveys, lists of

5 Reflection of economic development policy of the earlier period of republic in education; reforms in professional education and education of economics: An instance with Hayat Mecmuasi questions on economics were provided in the book; students were guided towards practice, seeking tangible information. In this sense, the book of Robin provides students with the opportunity of independent insight, research and evaluation on economic facts. The book of Robin is full of tangible information and illustrations; its objective is to establish a direct relationship between students and the environment of economics and provide them with the skill of commenting on actual cases within the framework of theories on economics. In his book on education of economics, Motilyof, Professor of Economics in Leningrad University, wanted lectures to be organized and given such that students can understand and establish a relationship between principles and the development of actual cases. According to Motilyof, students should be taught how to discover the principles of economics and statistics, how to correct mistakes and come to conclusions in lectures of economics. Student should meet with a typical example (example model-case) and statistical information before the theoretical information on a certain subject. Students should be able to implement theoretical information upon selecting a research area and subject and analyse results by blending with academic information. These principles presented in books of Prof Motilyof and Prof Robin were implemented verbatim in curriculum of economics of Soviet schools. Ismail Husrev argues that Business Schools, Vocational Schools in our country in the stage of introducing the modern system in economic development should follow these principles and books of economics should be prepared based on new approach. Educating young individuals following the economic development, modern requirements of the country closely, making effort to generate solutions for economic researches with a state of mind purified from memorized rhymes is a national service. 3. Conclusion and Discussion Having adopted the objective of educating individuals and the society by focusing on reforms of Ataturk Hayat Mecmuasi is a very important publication reflecting the life philosophy during the early years of Republican Period with its rich content (Isik 2009:260). As in other fields, Hayat was a strict follower of economic reforms; it provided its readers with information on economic development policy and reflections of this policy to education during that period. The fact that education philosophy of the period is reflected in parallel with comparisons between education concept and implementations and the new education concept of the west increased the importance of the journal. Education- training principles established in articles of the journal on professional education and education of economics are consistent with the modern education-training principles which survive at the present day. Hands on learning, active status of a student, guidance role of lecturers and books, method of showing models and following principles of development periods are also principles of the modern education style of today. It is also clear that study methods described for students in books of Robin and Motilyof are also consistent with education principles of the modern education style such as relativity with students, from immediate environment to distant environment, from known to unknown, clearness (evidence), from physical to non-physical, economy, effective participation, socialness, assuring knowledge and skills, creative thinking, integrity (Kucukahmet 2003:42-45). The source of the new education style emphasized in articles is Pragmatism. It is important that the journal consults ideas of American Expert John Dewey, Belgian expert Omer Buyse and some other European experts. John Dewey (1924) and Omer Buyse (1927) presented reports on general education system and technical education, respectively, to Ministry of Education (Akkutay 1996:26). The matter of adopting apprentice-semi-skilled- skilled ranks in a modern style were discussed by the journal as early as the period it was published. Apprenticeship Education system was established in our country by the Ministry of National Education with the purpose of eliminating the distance between working individuals and education based on the principle life-long learning for all individuals in our education system by maintaining and improving further the ahi-order of Seljuks in Republican period. Apprentice, Semi-Skilled and Skilled Labour Law No 2089 introduced in 1977, Apprenticeship and Vocational Training Law No 3308 introduced in 1986 were amended. The age of apprenticeship was raised to 19 with the Law No 4702 and elementary school degree was 123

6 Yasemin Işık made compulsory for students planning to continue with the vocational education. Apprentices work five days a week in workshops operating in their respective fields and they are trained in Apprenticeship Training Centre for one day a week. References Chosen Articles from Hayat Mecmuasi Cemal Husnu. (1929). Our Education-Learning Policy. Hayat Mecmuasi, 6 (139) : (Erisirgil), Mehmet Emin. (1926). What Hayat Remove to be. Hayat Mecmuasi, 1 (1) : 1-2. (Erisirgil), Mehmet Emin. (1927). The National Production and Training. Hayat Mecmuasi, 2 (41): (Erisirgil), Mehmet Emin. (1929). Professional Education. Hayat Mecmuasi, 7 (136): 103. Hayat Mecmuasi. (1927). The Science of Economics in Our Country. 1 (7): 127. Ismail Husrev. (1927). Reforms in Education of Economics-1. Hayat Mecmuasi, 3 (57): Ismail Husrev. (1928). Reforms in Education of Economics-2. Hayat Mecmuasi, 3 (65): Ismail Husrev. (1928). Reforms in Education of Economics-3. Hayat Mecmuasi, 3 (67): Kadri. (1928). Manipulative Skills and Education. Hayat Mecmuasi,4 (101): Mehmet Servet. (1929). A Matter of Education. Hayat Mecmuasi, 6 (134): 57. (Sungu), İhsan. (1927). Culture and Professionalism in Education. Hayat Mecmuasi,1 (8): Researches Akkutay, Ulker. (1996). National Education Reports Of Foreign Experts. Ankara: Avni Akyol Publication Cultural and Educational Foundation Akyildiz, Huseyin and Eroglu, Omer. (2004). The Economic Policies That Pursued Up To Now From The Foundation Of The Turkish Republic. Publication of Suleyman Demirel University, Faculty Of Economic And Administrative Sciences Journal, 9 (1): Akyuz, Yahya. (2006). Turkish Education History. Ankara: Pegem A Publishing. Aysan, Mustafa. (2000). Ataturk s Economic Views. Istanbul: Publications of Social Transformation. Cem, Ismail. (1975). Economic Underdevelopment History of Turkey. Istanbul. Goze, Ayferi. (2006). History of Turkish War of Independence and Revolution. Istanbul. Isik, Yasemin. (2007). Examination of Hayat Mecmuasi in the Scope of Education ( ), Ankara: Ankara University, Institute of Education Sciences, Educational Programs and Teaching Subsections, Unpublished Master's Thesis. Isik, Yasemin. (2009). Hayat Mecmuasi, Turkish Culture in the Republican Period, the Period of Ataturk ( ), Ankara: Publication of Ataturk Cultural Center, in the first volume: Kafadar, Osman. (2000). Cultural Transformations in Turkey and Philosophy Education. Istanbul: Iz Publishing. Karluk, S. Ridvan. (1997). Turkey's Economy, Historical Development, Structural and Social Change. Istanbul: Beta Publishing. Kucukahmet, Leyla. (2003). Planning and Assessment in Education. Ankara: Nobel Publishing. Kuyucuklu, Nazif. (1993). Turkey Economics. Istanbul: Filiz Publishing. Ozkul, Metin. (2009). The Main Elements of the Turkish Society s Structure and Economy, Turkish Culture in the Republican Period, the Period of Ataturk ( ), Ankara: Publication of Ataturk Cultural Center, in the first volume: state Planning Organization. (1981). Second Economics Congress of Turkey. 2-7 November, Izmir. Tokgoz, Erdinc. (2007). Turkey's Economic Development History ( ). Ankara: Imaj Publishing. Ucman, Abdullah. (1998). Hayat. Religious Foundation of Turkey, The Islamic Encyclopedia, ISAM, Volume: 17, Ulken, Hilmi Ziya. (2001). Contemporary Thought History of Turkey. Istanbul: Ulken Publishing. Ulken, Yuksel. (1997). Economic Development and Mentality. Kemalism. Ankara: Publication of Higher Education Council: Zarakolu, Avni. (1977). Atatürk's Reforms and Economic Development. Ankara: Publication of Ankara University Law Faculty. 124