Musavat
Musavat Party Müsavat Firqəsi | |
---|---|
Leader | Arif Hajili |
Founders | Mahammad Amin Rasulzade Mahammad Ali Rasulzade Abbasgulu Kazimzade Taghi Naghiyev |
Founded | 1911 |
Ideology | Liberalism[1] Civic nationalism Historical: Pan-Turkism[2][3] Pan-Islamism[2][3] |
Political position | Centre |
European affiliation | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party |
Colors | Blue |
Website | |
musavat | |
The Müsavat Party (
The party was prohibited from contesting the 1995 and 2000 parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan by the Heydar Aliyev regime. At the time, the party was one of major opposition parties in the country.[4][5]
Early Musavat (1911–1923)
Musavat was founded in 1911 in
Azerbaijan portal |
In its early years before the first world war, Musavat was a relatively small, secret underground organization, much like its counterparts throughout the Middle East, working for the prosperity and political unity of the Muslim and Turkic-speaking world.[8] Although Musavat espoused pan-Islamic ideology and its founder was sympathetic to the pan-Turkic movement, the party supported the tsarist regime during the First World War.[9] Russia's social democrats received the foundation of Musavat in what they considered "imperial, orientalist terms, governed by the long-standing ideological categories of Muslim backwardness, treachery and religious fanaticism",[10] as a betrayal of historic proportions.
The Musavat's programme, which appealed to the Azerbaijani masses and assured the party of the sympathy of the Muslims abroad, announced the following aims:[11]
- The unity of all Muslim peoples without regard to nationality or sect.
- Restoration of the independence of all Muslim nations.
- Extension of material and moral aid to all Muslim nations which fight for their independence.
- Help to all Muslim peoples and states in offense and in defence.
- The destruction of the barriers which prevent the spread of the above-mentioned ideas.
- The establishment of contact with parties striving for the progress of the Muslims.
- The establishment, as need might arise, of contact and exchange of opinion with foreign parties which have the well being of humanity as their aim.
- The intensification of the struggle for the existence of all Muslims and the development of their commerce, trade and economic life in general.[11]
During this time, the Musavat party supported some pan-Islamist and pan-Turkist ideas.
The Menshevik and Social Revolutionary parties of Baku, both largely dependent upon the support of selected Georgian, Armenian and Jewish cadres, as well as upon the ethnic Russian workers, had long vilified the Muslims as "inert" and "unconscious".[8] For them as well as for Bolsheviks, Constitutional Democrats and Denikinists, the Musavat, by default, was the false friend of social democracy, just a party of feudal "beks and khans". These accusations, centerpieces of a paranoid style in social-democratic politics, have endured in the historical literature far beyond their origins.[8] But this form of attitude also alienated predominant Muslim groups from Russia's mainstream social democrats, as Musavat's shifting politics and populist slogans started receiving bigger appeal among the Muslim worker audience. Musavat leaders were largely well-educated professionals from the upper class echelons of Azeri society; its mass membership, most recruited between 1917 and 1919, comprised the poorly-educated Muslims underclass of Baku.[8]
Early Musavat under Rasulzade leadership
After the Amnesty Act of 1913 dedicated to the
The Baku Committee of Muslim Social Organizations, as well as the Musavat, were quite radical during the early days of the February Revolution: they wanted a democratic republic, which would guarantee the rights of Muslims.[17] The Soviet historian A. L. Popov writes that the Musavat cannot be a priori classified as a reactionary party of Khans and Beks, because in the early revolutionary period the Musavat stood on the positions of democracy and even socialism. "Until a certain time the Baku Committee of Muslim Social Organizations and the Musavat party successfully fulfilled the mission not only of representing the general national interests but also of guiding the Azerbaijani workers' democracy".[18]
On June 17, 1917, Musavat merged with the Party of Turkic Federalists, another national-democratic right-wing organization founded by Nasibbey Usubbekov and Hasan bey Agayev, taking on a new name of Musavat Party of Turkic Federalists.[11] Thus, Musavat became the main political force of Caucasian Muslims.
In October 1917 Musavat convoked in its first congress where it adopted a new covenant, with 76 articles.[19]
- Russia has to become a federative democratic republic based on national and territorial autonomy.
- Freedom of speech, conscience, stamp, unions, strikes have to be confirmed by the constitution and guaranteed by the state.
- All citizens in spite of religion, nationality, gender, and political ideology are equal in front of the law. The passport system is to be annulled. Every citizen is given the right to move freely both inside the borders and outside the borders of the country.
- For all workers and office workers the working day is limited with eight hours.
- All state, crown, noble and private lands are distributed between peasant free.
- Courts only obey the law and from now on no citizen is subject to punishment if not following the resolution of the competent authorities.
- Universal free and compulsory elementary and high education.[19]
Particularly, new covenant[20] said:
- Article 1: The form of the state of Russia should be a federative democratic republic based on principles of national autonomy.
- Article 3: All ethnicities having territories of compact inhabiting any part of Russia should receive cultural autonomyin the case of impossibility of territorial autonomy. The Party considers as its sacred duty to support any non-Turkic ethnicities' quests for autonomy and help them.
- Article 4: Ethnicities having no exact territory of compact inhabiting should receive national cultural autonomy.
During the period from February until November 1917, Musavat shared the idea of federalism without separating from Russia. In accordance with the doctrine accepted by the Special Transcaucasian Committee (OZAKOM) the Georgian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani territories were authorised to rule independent domestic policy, leaving to the Provisional Russian government only foreign affairs, army and defense, and customs. However, Musavat as well as the other Muslim unions got quickly disappointed in cooperation with the Provisional Government, as it had no wish to delegate to the Muslim territories more independence.
Having got the news about the October Revolution in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg) Transcaucasia did not accept the new Bolshevik power. In February 1918 Transcaucasian Council ("Sejm") started its work in Tbilisi. Musavat entered the Sejm as one of the ruling parties, having 30 deputies of 125. The other parties represented in the new institution were Georgian mensheviks (32 deputies) and Armenian "dashnaks" (27 deputies). At this stage, Musavat started propagating the pan-Islamist and pan-Turkish ideas and aimed at the creation of a United Muslim State under the protection of Turkey (Ottoman Empire). The majority of the Party's members were merchants, white-collars and partially peasantry.
Musavat became the tenth largest party elected to the Russian Constituent Assembly (1918).[21]
Musavat in ADR Government
After the disintegration of the Russian Empire and the Declaration of Independence, Musavat became the leading party of the newly established
The following Musavat members held positions in successive ADR governments:
First cabinet (May 28, 1918 – June 17, 1918)
- Minister of Defense
- Mammad Hassan Hajinski – Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Nasib bey Yusifbeyli – Minister of Finance and National Education
- Minister of Trade and Industry
Second cabinet (June 17, 1918 – December 7, 1918)
- Mammad Hassan Hajinski – Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Nasib bey Yusifbeyli – Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs
- Kh. Sultanov –
- Minister of Social Security and Religious Affairs
- Kh. Khasmammedov – State Minister of Internal Affairs
Third cabinet (December 12, 1918 – March 14, 1919)
- Kh. Khasmammedov – Minister of Interior
- Nasib bey Yusifbeyli – Minister of Education and Religious Affairs
- Kh. Sultanov – Minister of Agriculture
Fourth cabinet (March 14, 1919 – December 22, 1919)
- Nasib bey Yusifbeyli – Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister)
- M. Y. Jafarov – Minister of Foreign Affairs
- N. Narimanbeyli – State Inspector
- Kh. Khasmammedov – Minister of the Interior
Fifth cabinet (December 12, 1919 – April 1, 1920)
- Nasib bey Yusifbeyli – Chair of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister)
- Mammad Hassan Hajinski – Minister of Interior
- Kh. Khasmammedov – Minister of Justice
- M. Rafiyev – Minister of Social Welfare and Health
After the fall of the First Republic in April 1920 as a result of the Bolshevik invasion, Musavat switched to secret activities again, by forming a secret committee, in which even famous Azeri playwright
Musavat in exile
Activities of Musavat in exile begin at the end of 1922 and at the beginning of 1923. in order to coordinate and lead these activities
Members of the Foreign Bureau
- Mammed Amin Rasulzade, chairman
- Mirza Bala Mammedzadeh, secretary
- Khalil bey Khasmammadov, treasurer
- Shafi bey Rustambeyov
- Mustafa Vakilov
- Mammad Sadig Akhundzadeh
- Abbasgulu Kazimzade
Members of the Azerbaijani National Center
- Mammed Amin Rasulzade
- Khalil bey Khasmammadov
- Mustafa Vakilov
- Akbar agha Sheykhulislamov
- Abdulali bey Amirjanov
Chairmen of Musavat in exile
- Mammed Amin Rasulzade(1917–1955)
- Mirza Bala Mammedzadeh (1955–1959)
- Kerim Oder (1959–1981)
- Mammad Azer Aran (1981–1992)
Newspapers and journals published by the Musavat Party in exile
- Yeni Kafkasya journal (1923–1928), Turkey
- Azeri Turk journal (1928–1929), Turkey
- Odlu Yurdu journal (1929–1931), Turkey
- Bildirish newspaper (1930–1931), Turkey
- Azerbaycan Yurd Bilgisi journal (1932–1934), Turkey
- Istiklal newspaper (1932-?), Germany
- Kurtulush journal (1934–1938), Germany
- Musavat Bulleteni (1936-?), Poland, Turkey
- Azerbaijan (1952–current), Turkey
New Musavat (since 1989)
The resurrection of Musavat in Azerbaijan came in 1989, during the second independence of Azerbaijan. A group of intellectuals created the "Azerbaijan National Democratic New Musavat Party". Later that group formed the "Restoration Center of the Musavat Party" and was recognized by Musavat-in-exile. In 1992 delegates of New Musavat and Musavat-in-exile gathered in the "III Congress of Musavat" and formally re-established the party as the Musavat Party. One of the leaders of the Popular Front, Isa Gambar was elected its chairman. He remains its leader as of 2013. The party structure consists of "Başqan" (Leader), "Divan" (Executive Board), and "Məclis" (Congress).
Since 1993, Musavat has been in the opposition to the ruling
When Musavat applied for membership of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR, now Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party, ALDE), some members considered Musavat's ideology to be incompatible with Western liberalism. Board member Nasib Nasibli even resigned, stating that the party was committed to Turkic nationalism rather than liberalism. Nevertheless, Musavat was eventually admitted to ELDR.[29]
The party has alleged that the Azerbaijani government has been seized by leading politicians of Kurdish, Talysh, Armenian or other ethnic groups of non-Turkic origin.[30]
References
- ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2010). "Azerbaijan". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on August 25, 2010. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
- ^ a b R. Hrair Dekmejian; Hovann H. Simonian (2003). Troubled Waters: The Geopolitics of the Caspian Region (2nd ed.). I.B. Tauris. p. 63.
- ^ a b Tom Lansford, ed. (2014). Political Handbook of the World 2014. CQ Press. p. 98.
- ^ "Party registration process in Azerbaijan raises serious concerns". www.osce.org. 2000.
- ^ "Azerbajain". www.hrw.org. 1996. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
- ISBN 1-86064-261-6.
- ^ (in Azerbaijani)Orujlu, Maryam (2001). Müsavat Partiyası: Ölkədə və Mühacirətdə, 1911–1992 (in Azerbaijani). Baku: Azerneshr. Archived from the original on May 10, 2009.
M.A. Resuloğlu (1962). "Müsavat Partisinin kuruluşu", Müsavat bülteni, 14, İstanbul, 10
- ^ S2CID 159744435.
- ISBN 1-85043-771-8.
- S2CID 163469315.
- ^ a b c Гусейнов, Мирза Давуд (1927). "1: Программа и тактика". Тюркская демократическая партия федералистов "Мусават" в прошлом и настоящем (in Russian). Baku.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Jacob M. Landau, Pan-Turkism: From Irredentism to Cooperation, p. 55.
- ^ "Musavat Party (Azerbaijan)". www.crwflags.com.
- ^ Aviel Roshwald, Ethnic Nationalism and the Fall of Empires, p. 100.
- ^ Neil Middleton and Phil O'Keefe, Disaster and Development: The Politics of Humanitarian Aid, p. 132.
- ^ Michael P. Croissant , The Armenian-Azerbaijan Conflict: Causes and Implications, p. 14.
- ^ Kazemzadeh, Firuz (1951). The Struggle for Transcaucasia, 1917–1921. New York: Philosophical Library. p. 51.
- ^ Попов, А. Л. (1924). Из Истории Революции В Восточном Закавказье, 1917–1918. Пролетарская Революция (in Russian). 30 (7): 118.
- ^ a b Central state archive of the Azerbaijan Republic, f.894, op.1, storage unit 56, p. 5.
- ^ Балаев, Айдын (1990). Азербайджанское национально-демократическое движение, 1917–1920 (in Russian). Baku. pp. 74–82. Archived from the original on November 7, 2007. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Lenin and the First Communist Revolutions, IV". econfaculty.gmu.edu.
- ISBN 9781860645549.
- Iranian province of Azerbaijan.
- ISBN 978-9048519286.
The region to the north of the river Araxes was not called Azerbaijan prior to 1918, unlike the region in northwestern Iran that has been called since so long ago.
- ^ "US Suffrage Movement Timeline, 1792 to present" Archived July 23, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Susan B. Anthony Center for Women's Leadership. Retrieved August 19, 2006.
- ^ Elin Suleymanov (1998). Azerbaijan in 1997. M.E. Sharpe. p. 348.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help) - ^ Müsavat Partiyasinin Tarixi Archived June 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Barry, Ellen (March 12, 2011). "Azerbaijani Protesters Are Arrested". The New York Times.
- ^ Rashad Shirinov (2015). An analysis of counter-hegemony: challenges of political opposition in Azerbaijan. Routledge. p. 177.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help) - ^ Svante Cornell, Azerbaijan Since Independence (M.E. Sharpe, 2011), p. 261.