The Concept of 'Great Man' in Ziya Gökalp's Sociological Theory

San A. R.

ISTANBUL UNIVERSITESI SOSYOLOJI DERGISI-ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, cilt.45, sa.2, ss.798-823, 2025 (ESCI, TRDizin)

Özet

Raised in final years of Ottoman Empire and shaped by its historical environment, Ziya G & ouml;kalp remains one of the most influential thinkers whose ideas help illuminate the trajectory of Turkish society and newly founded Turkish Republic. This study examines G & ouml;kalp's approach to the concept of Great Man within the framework of his sociological thought. By studying G & ouml;kalp's approach to the concept pertaining to Western and Ottoman intellectual traditions, the article traces historical roots of Great Man theory. It argues that G & ouml;kalp's understanding of Great Man cannot be reduced to well-known individual-society or actor-structure dichotomy of sociology. Rather, it represents a distinctive mode of reading history and social transformation through moral, cultural, and civilizational lenses. The study compares G & ouml;kalp's ideas with those of several Turkish sociologists, including Z. F. F & imath;nd & imath;ko & gbreve;lu, and also with the views of Thomas Carlyle, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Herbert Spencer, Galriel Tarde, highlighting convergences-divergences concerning the origins, functions, and societal roles of extraordinary individuals namely great man-heroes. It demonstrates that G & ouml;kalp synthesises elements from positivism, German idealism, and Ottoman intellectual traditions to articulate a dual typology of great men: The Reformers[M & uuml;ceddid], who embodies the collective conscience, and the Inventors[Mubdi] representing the creative spirit of civilization. The article concludes that the concept of Great Man, as addressed by G & ouml;kalp, emerges primarily in periods of historical crisis-moments when societies confront moral disintegration and seek intellectual, cultural, political renewal. Thus, G & ouml;kalp's treatment of the topic reflects both a sociological and civilizational response to the deep social traumas of his age.