Are the West’s cultural roots in Greece?

Greece further hardened its attitude against Türkiye after the Ukraine war. This country has been supported for about two centuries by both Russia and European countries. Greece’s modern era history has been shaped in contrast to Türkiye. In the modern era that started with the Greek Revolt, they ascribed great importance to gaining strength against Türkiye with Western support. This choice profited them as well in the 19th century. 

Western support for Greece in the 19th century was not only very strong but also widespread to the extent that they could reshape their own public opinion. It is worthy to note that Western intellectual life reformed in this century through Greece. However, it is also quite important to view this through a new perspective. Imperialist countries had made great intellectual gains, yet this did not apply to dependent countries to the same extent. The discovery or emphasis of Greek history in terms of Western intellectual life cannot be understood within the context of the religion and science conflict. Such an interpretation may have value in terms of Europe’s intellectual life, but it is substantially misleading to see this as a universal interpretation model. 

Any comparison between Türkiye and Greece today still emphasizes Greece’s cultural ties to the West. The emphasis on Greek history whenever the West’s roots are in question, gives the impression of a linear relationship in terms of intellectual history. Considering 19th-century intellectual life, it is safe to say that this impression is not very wrong. It is known that Victor Hugo wrote the poetry book, “Les Orientales,” with the enthusiasm of the Greek Revolt. It is not without reason that the Greek effect is sought in all literary movements this century. However, placing Muslim East roots opposite this indicates a different position. While during the expansionism period the West’s cultural roots were attributed to Greece, the Turkic and Muslim East was rebuilt as the other. This was quite natural, because expansionism was one of the most specific characteristics of the imperial age, and it was almost impossible to stop. Yet during the same period, studies were also conducted claiming that the Muslim East should be included among the West’s roots in the cultural sense. 

Questions inquiring the Muslim East’s significance in contrast to the West’s Greek roots also emerged within this frame. For example, titles such as the Islam and East influence in the Renaissance, are the result of the emphasis on Greek roots. The West’s rise is taken as a data, with the Muslim world brought forth as a contrast to the Greek emphasis, which emerged as a characteristic of the imperial age. Whether this comparison is right is a different story, but the emphasis on Greek roots was the result of Europe’s colonialist expansionism. This relationship cannot be understood by including it in the West’s cultural roots category. Therefore, no result of such comparisons with the Muslim East can be sound. 

Any judgment that Greece has an ideological advantage with Western civilization is misleading within the frame of the above contrast. Such judgment is meaningful within the Western intellectual narrative. Though this narrative is built upon the idea of continuity and transfer, it is essentially compatible with the colonialist expansionism ideology. It is the compatibility that makes the narrative significant. However, it has no significance for neither Greece nor the Eastern-Islamic world. As Türkiye and Turks are on the other end of the contrast, more specificity presents an even more complex situation. It is truly important to see from a different angle a contrast that does not qualify as a source in terms of the others feeding the West. 

An idea developed in the 20th century to explain oneself to the West. This was mor4e obvious for the periods under U.S. hegemony. Hence, numerous political problems were seen in the same frame, and emphasis was placed on lobbying activities. However, the Western world is at the center of problems today. There is a more obvious reality now with the Ukraine war. It is seen that when the problem to reinvent and carry on existence to the future arises in terms of the West and the U.S., Russia or another country will be placed on the target board. Where necessary, even countries like Russia that are intertwined with Western culture can be seen on the other end of the contrast. This cultural root is not something that can be explained through concepts such as the superiority of ideological propaganda. This applies to Türkiye as well.