Turkish historian links Armenian Genocide recognition to democracy

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish historian Taner Akçam, founding director of the Armenian Genocide Research Program at Clark University’s Armenian Institute in California, presented the Armenian edition of his book "The Origins of the Genocidal State" at the Faculty of History, Yerevan State University, reports Factor.am .

Translated from English, the book explores the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the foundation of the Republic of Turkey between 1918 and 1923.

Akçam emphasized that democratization in Turkey is a fundamental prerequisite for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

He is one of the few Turkish scholars who openly acknowledges and addresses the Armenian Genocide. A prolific author, Akçam has written extensively on the topic. In his latest book, he critically examines the century-long history of the Turkish Republic, highlighting its structural flaws and the persistent lack of democracy. He questions why a state based on equality was never realized and outlines how the official narrative has been distorted to serve state interests. Akçam argues that the Turkish state was founded on a system of discrimination, repression, and violence, likening it to an apartheid regime.

“Since 1918, Turkey has been building an apartheid regime. My main argument is that this regime completed the program initiated by the Committee of Union and Progress. Turkey created a system where Christians were systematically excluded from the political, social, and cultural life of the country,” Akçam stated.

He revealed that his book includes evidence of how Turkish authorities assigned numbers to birth certificates and passports to identify ethnic origins and block minorities from attaining high-ranking positions.

“In this numbering system, Greeks were labeled as one, Armenians as two, Jews as three. Even if a newborn’s parents forgot or chose not to mention their ethnic background, the state would never forget,” Akçam explained.

Discussing Armenian-Turkish relations, he stated that recognition of the Armenian Genocide should not be a precondition for establishing diplomatic ties. According to him, Armenia’s leaders have never made such a demand. However, Akçam stressed that it is crucial to illustrate the link between democratization and genocide recognition.

“Connecting democracy and Genocide recognition is not easy. Why? Because recognition is about justice, and justice means nothing without democracy. Even democratic states like the U.S. can deny the Armenian Genocide. Democracy doesn’t guarantee justice—but it seems to be a ticket to pursue it. That’s why we emphasize that democratization in Turkey is one of the key prerequisites for Genocide recognition and justice,” Akçam said.

He also called for a new perspective on history—one that acknowledges the mistakes of the past.