The “Rupture” Discourse and Paradigm of The Republic: Founding Narrative and Old-New Dichotomy

Abstract

Large-scale sociological and political transformations may display compulsory and repressive qualities if they are not the product of the natural flow of internal dynamics and social tendencies. Levelling the cultural sphere, reconstructing the social, redrawing the boundaries of the political system, setting new standards of legitimacy; the effort to construct a new system of values in every field, from music to architecture, from clothing to education, and the creation of a new symbolic universe that makes it possible, shows how far this compelling and repressive practice can be. The new system of values and the construction of the symbolic universe is often achieved through a dichotomic relationship. While the new is defined and characterized by all the superior and positive qualities, the old which is put against it in a way that reinforces the meaning of the new is almost completely depicted with incomplete/deficient, imperfect and negative qualities. The founding discourse of the Republic, which claims to rise on a new paradigm and a world of values, is based on such an old-new duality in order to establish its own legitimacy and define the boundaries of the new socio-political system. “The founding discourse”, which denies all kinds of continuity claims and ideas, has turned to a narrative of rupture that started history with itself. Whereas, history never contains absolute, definite and sharp breaks as claimed. Prior/tradition exists in the new in various ways. But try to ignore it; In fact, insisting on this by stringent methods leads to social breaks, disintegrations, crises of system and legitimacy. In this sense, this study focuses on the founding paradigm and founding discourse of the Republic; it aims to open the discussion of its validity and its possible consequences.