The Influence of Jadidism on the Kazakh Enlightenment

THE INFLUENCE OF JADIDISM ON THE KAZAKH ENLIGHTENMENT The main feature of the historical development of the Russian Empire in the late 19th and early 20th century as a multinational state was that the bulk of Muslims of the Russian Empire were Turkic-speaking people. The idea of the "unity in faith" was closely intertwined with the set of ideas including common features of the Turkic people and their common history. Since Turkic-Muslim people of the Empire did not have equal economic and political rights, it became necessary to protect their national interests via consolidation. This was embodied in the ideology of Jadidism aimed to raise the cultural-educational level of the Turkic-Muslim people in order to engage them into the civilized world. The socio-economic and socio-political transformations that took place in the Russian society during the 19th century formed the background of the Jadidism ideology. Jadidism as a new ideological trend of the early 20th century triggered the consolidation of the Turkic-Muslim people of the Russian Empire, becoming a cause of their social mobilization, development of communications, as well as the integration of society into a single geopolitical space. In this sense, the Jadidist movement can be regarded as an attempt to make changes in the traditional ways of life both through modernizing languages and reforming education.

The foundations of Jadidism were laid by the Tatar enlighteners as far back as the years between 1800-1840. For instance, in the first half of the 19th century, the outstanding Tatar enlighteners Ghabdennasir Qursawi (17761812) and Shihabuddin Marjani (1818-1889) were the reformers of scholastic education in Bukhara and Samarkand madrasas. Ibrahim Khalfin (1773-1823), Khussain Fayezkhanov (1821-1866) and Ismail Gasprinski (18511914) called for the reforms in the sphere of education among the Muslim people of the Russian Empire. Among the Kazakh intellectuals, we should mention Chokan Valikhanov, Salyk Babadjanov, Musa Chormanov and Ibrai Altynsarin, who considered further development of the Kazakh people only in enlightenment and education. Early Jadidism became a milestone of understanding and finding ways of further nation development of the Kazakh society. In fact, the education reform had become a core issues. The spread of ideas of Jadidism in Kazakhstan was supported by the Kazakh intel-lectual elite of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Active supporters of introduction of a new methodology in education (usul-i jadid) were Abai Kunanbaev, Alikhan Bukeikhanov, Akhmet Baitursynov, Myrzhakip Dulatov, Shakarim Kudaiberdiev and Gumar Karashev. For example, Gumar Karashev (1876-1921) in his publications wrote that "not a single nation has mastered science and art while carrying the nomad style of life on horses and camels. On the contrary, in historical perspective, knowledge and art were acquired only after settling down, the construction of madrasas and schools and bringing discipline and order to social life."

The Jadidism movement contributed to the fact that the elements of European education have been gradually introduced in the confessional schools. This led to the fact that by 1907 in the Semirechensk region, while 222 students educated from 15 Russian-native schools, 6076 students had education in 243 Muslim mekteps. This situation was of great concern to the tsarist government. The government strongly opposed activities of mekteps, believing that the new methodological schools were harmful for the official authorities because of spreading materials published in Orenburg, Ufa, and Kazan in Kazakh language with content harmful for the colonial power.

Thus, in one of the reports of the archive of the Police Department of the GovernorateGeneral of Turkestan (1914), one can read that the booklet of Myrzhakip Dulatov (18851935), "Oyan Qazaq", which was printed by the printing house of the newspaper "Vakt" in Orenburg, "calls on the Kazakh people to expel Russians and form a Kazakh State". However, actually, "Oyan Qazaq" of Dulatov called compatriots to a new life, learning good things from other nations, and standing up for science and education. Another work that we can mention is the collection of fables "Masa" by Akhmet Baitursynov (1873-1937), that was about the strains that people faced and about the level of ignorance in the society. The book was about for knowledge, science and culture. "Tur Qazaq" by Alikhan Bukeikhanov (1866-1937) also called on the people to take an active position by acquiring knowledge and culture.

Covering the activity of the Kazakh enlighteners supporting Jadidism, it should be noted that the Kazakh intellectuals of the early 20th century through their educational activities sought to arouse people's interest in knowledge and to keep them awake for the events that were taking place around them. Leading Kazakh intellectuals understood that for the political enlightenment, it is necessary to awaken desire for knowledge, and to overcome illiteracy. In the national newspapers and magazines such as "Qazaq", "Qazaqstan", and "Aiqap", they urged people to acquire knowledge and opened the way to the civilization and Kazakh nation-building. With regard to the intellectuals and educators, who conceptually defined the tasks of enlightenment of the Kazakh people in the context of the Jadidism ideology, it is necessary to name the great enlightener and philosopher Abai Kunanbaev (1845-1904). Abai's acquaintance with the works of Pushkin, Lermontov, Nekrasov, Tolstoy, Turgenev, SaltykovShchedrin, Dostoyevsky, Chernyshevsky, Spencer's "Experiences", Lewis's "Positive Philosophy" and Draper's "History of the Intellectual Development of Europe" allowed him both to act as a cultural reformer that provided rapprochement with Russian and European culture, and to preach ideas of enlightenment on the basis of enlightened liberal Islam, which is one of the foundations of the Arab-Muslim philosophy.

Many Kazakh poets of the early 20th century were inspired by Abai's call for enlightenment. Thus, the Kazakh poet Andibaev ("My Youth", 1907) writes: "If we were to strive by the covenant of the Prophet Mohammed to the skills and knowledge, then our leader would be Kazakh, the lands would not deteriorate, the number of cattle would not decrease and no one would dare to touch our land." But "can we break out of their teeth not by force, but only by knowledge?". Another poet Mushtak ("The Swallow", 1911) asked himself a rhetorical question: "Will the Kazakhs, due to knowledge, be able to see again and counter the enemy?", answers: "If the people are educated, no enemy will counter them"; "Nobody can win a person who is armed with knowledge and performs good deeds."

Therefore, Jadidism had a great influence on the Kazakh enlightenment of the 19th and early 20th centuries. In many ways, this can be an example for modern Kazakh society, which is currently facing a historic choice on the path of its further development.

Written by Erkin Baydarov, Eurasian Research Institute, Kazakhstan Politics, Foreign Affairs and Security x x x x x x x As a result of the referendum, which was held to decide whether to accept the transition to the Presidential system in Turkey, the “yes” campaign that provided for approval of 18 proposed amendments to the Constitution won 1.37 million more votes than the “no” campaign. The “yes” vote had about 51.41% compared with 48.59% for the “no” vote. Turnout reached 86.13%. The President of the Supreme Electoral Council, Sadi Guven, stated that official results would be announced in 10 days.

According to a decree signed by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the State Committee for Investments, a new government body responsible for the implementation of a unified state investment policy and attraction of foreign investments, and Uztuqimachilikexport, a new foreign trade organization for expansion of exports of Uzbek light-industry products and technological upgrade of domestic textile enterprises, were established. During the Summit off the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) held in Bishkek, which was attended by Presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia, the parties signed an agreement on the extension of a $110 million loan to Kyrgyzstan to finance specific infrastructure projects in the country. In addition, the Council made a decision to welcome and support Moldova’s intention to get the EEU observer status. During his official visit to Ashgabat, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy of South Korea, Joo Hyunghwan, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkmenistan, Maksat Babayev, discussed the issues of cooperation in the areas of economy and trade, finance, energy and hydrocarbon resources, construction, agriculture, healthcare, transportation and communication.

During his official visit to Moscow, the Foreign Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, discussed further growth of trade turnover between two countries and development of the bilateral cooperation in the investment and energy sectors.

The Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulaziz Kamilov, announced that Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan defined almost 1,000 km of border and are preparing documents on delimitation. It was also noted that as part of the implementation of the development strategy of Uzbekistan for 2017-2021, the relevant ministries and agencies were ordered to develop the action plans on delimitation and demarcation of state borders in the first quarter of 2017.

According to the press office of the Russian Northern Fleet, several thousand troops, aircrafts and surface-to-air missile systems were involved in a combat readiness check of the Air Force and Air Defense Army units and formations that started in the fleet. It was also stated that the drills involved about 200 pieces of special hardware, including deck-based Mikoyan MiG-29K, shipborne Sukhoi Su-33 fighter jets, MiG-31 interceptor planes and other types of aircraft and also S-400 Triumf and S-300 Favorit antiaircraft missile systems. x The Director of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation of Russia, Dmitry Shugayev, reported that the country signed export defense contracts worth over $9 billion in 2016.

.

Economy, Finance and Energy x x x x x x The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that the forecast for oil output in Kazakhstan in 2017 and 2018 was revised. The forecast for 2017 was decreased to 1.87 million barrels per day as compared to 1.88 million barrels per day in the previous report. The forecast for 2018 rose to 1.91 million barrels per day as compared to 1.9 million barrels per day in the previous report. It was also noted that oil output in the country reached 1.86 million barrels per day in the first quarter of 2017 and is expected at 1.86 million barrels per day in the second and third quarter and 1.89 million barrels per day in the fourth quarter of the year.

According to the state-owned nuclear company of Kazakhstan, KazAtomProm, the company and the French nuclear company, Areva, signed an agreement to strengthen their long-standing cooperation in the uranium mining sector. The agreement extends production at the South Tortkuduk project for the next two decades. The project is developed by Katco company, which is a joint venture of Areva (51%) and KazAtomProm (49%).

The first rail freight train from the UK to China departed from Stanford-le-Hope in Essex carrying 30 containers of Britishproduced goods along a 7,500-mile journey to Yiwu, China. Along the way, the train will pass through the Channel Tunnel into France and on to Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, before finally reaching China on April 27. The first freight train from China to the UK arrived in Essex in January 2017, making the country the 15th to join Beijing's rail link, dubbed the New Silk Route.

The Energy Minister of Kazakhstan, Kanat Bozumbayev, stated that the country plans to start exporting gasoline and diesel fuel in 2018 after the completion of modernization of the country’s refineries. According to the statement, the modernization of Atyrau and Pavlodar refineries would be completed in the second half of 2017. The first stage of modernization of Shymkent plant will be completed in 2017. The second stage of modernization of this refinery will be completed in 2018. It was also noted that the modernization would meet the domestic demand for gasoline and diesel fuel and export over 1 million tons of diesel fuel abroad.

According to the Economy Minister of Azerbaijan, Shahin Mustafayev, the country will create one more industrial zone, which will be located in the Hajigabul District. It was also noted that the country has the Neftchala Industrial Zone and another industrial zone, the Masalli Industrial Zone, is currently under construction.

According to the Statistics Committee of Kazakhstan, the trade turnover of the country with the EEU member states amounted to $2.58 billion in January-February 2017, which is 56% increase compared to the same period in 2016. Kazakhstan’s exports to the x x EEU countries increased by 42.6% to $742 million during the reporting period, while imports were up by 62.2% hitting $1.84 billion. It was noted that in January-February 2017 the highest share of the trade turnover of Kazakhstan with the EEU countries, namely, $2.43 billion, accounted for the trade with Russia. The country’s exports to Russia increased by 40.1% to $671.6 million in the first two months of 2017 compared to January-February of 2016, while the country’s imports from Russia increased by 64% to $1.75 billion in the reporting period as compared to the same period of 2016.

According to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, 13,646 new small businesses were registered in the country in JanuaryMarch 2017. It was noted that as of 1 April, the number of operating small businesses reached 222,015 units, which is by 18,193 units more compared to the same period of 2016. The share of small businesses in GDP of Uzbekistan made up 44.9% in the first three months of 2017.

The Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, announced that 1 billion som ($14 million) out of the state budget will be channeled for the reconstruction of the Tamchy-Cholpon-Ata section of the BalykchyKorumdu road in 2017.

Society and Culture x x x x The President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, signed a program aimed for making the country tobacco-free by 2025. It was noted that the program is aimed to generate a negative attitude towards tobacco smoking and motivate people, especially the younger generation, to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The President of Kazakhstan ordered the authorities to come up with a Latin-based alphabet for the Kazakh language by the end of 2017. Moreover, the President stated that the Kazakh language should be fully switched from Cyrillic to Latin alphabet by 2025. The Head of the Science Committee of the Education and Science Ministry of Kazakhstan, Bolatbek Abdrasilov, announced that the Ministry is working to create a working group to switch the Kazakh alphabet to Latin alphabet. It was noted that the working group would include Kazakh linguistics and foreign experts working on such issues.

According the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek, the U.S. Government through USAID launched two information terminals at Manas International Airport to prevent human trafficking and protect the rights of Kyrgyzstani migrants traveling abroad. Ten additional information desks will be installed across the country that will inform travelers about their rights and the steps that they can take to avoid becoming victims of human trafficking. The Transport Ministry of Uzbekistan reported that following a 25-year-long interruption in direct air services between the two Central Asian countries, an Airbus A320 operated by Uzbekistan Airways landed at the airport serving Dushanbe. Flight NY-717 carried 29 passengers. The return flight, NY-718, was performed on the same day and carried 12 passengers. The carrier is planned to operate twice-weekly flights between Tashkent and Dushanbe.