Azerbaijanism is an ideology of the Azerbaijani people who have chosen independence of Azerbaijan and fight for construction in this country of the civil democratic state founded on the secular principles as its strategic objective. The basis of this ideology is constituted by the idea of equality of the national, ethnic, religious and social rights of all peoples considering Azerbaijan as their homeland.
As the national state ideology, Azerbaijanism is the system od values relying on bases of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, serving the independence of Azerbaijan, ensuring its development and national security as legal and democratic state.
Ideology of Azerbaijanism formulated at the end of the 19 th and early 20 th century, has passed the way of sustainable development during a century.
Transformation of Azerbaijanism into the ideology of consolidation of the Azerbaijanis of the whole world, ideological basis of the independent Azerbaijani state is a historical merit of the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. Heydar Aliyev still during the Soviet period when he headed the Republic of Azerbaijan strived to spread the ideology of Azerbaijanism among all our compatriots, so that this idea became a nationwide ideology. During this period, in the Azerbaijani literature, music, cinema and fine arts and in other spheres, too, there appeared numerous samples of works propagandizing and eulogizing the spirit of the Azerbaijani people, its history, and national-cultural values. At this time, Heydar Aliyev also considered necessary to achieve organization of the Azerbaijanis living outside the republic, formation of the Azerbaijani diaspora. After return to the power in the 1990s he always kept in the center of attention the question of becoming of our compatriots living abroad an organized force, strengthening of their contacts with the historical Motherland as a priority question, as the strong Azerbaijani diaspora is a support of independent Azerbaijan.
The ideology of Azerbaijanism is rich with important functional elements the essence of which consists in protection of the country against attempts of its moral and physical weakening. This ideology is aimed at strengthening and development of Azerbaijan as a unitary republic on the administrative-territorial structure, a constitutional and democratic state from the point of view of its political system and public administration.
Azerbaijan is a country where historically peacefully coexisted the representatives of various nationalities, where was established national and religious tolerance. There was established an identical attitude towards the representatives of all peoples and nations. Therefore, all citizens of Azerbaijan have united around the idea of Azerbaijanism. The idea of Azerbaijanism as a system of views uniting customs and traditions, national-cultural values of the Azerbaijani people positively influences social and political processes, the constitutional system and, in particular, the state construction.
The idea of Azerbaijanism urged to provide protection of the independence and democratic development of Azerbaijan was created as the ideology directed against aggressive nationalism and chauvinism. Not the nationalism, but civil values is the cornerstone of the idea of Azerbaijanism. The purpose of this idea is to create a system of values which create a firm ground for democratic development of the multinational people of Azerbaijan also by consolidation.
The idea of Azerbaijanism uniting the multinational people of Azerbaijan serves to preserving independence, to the democratic development and creation of the constitutional, social state.
Azerbaijanism is the historical heritage of our people gained at the price of many difficulties and deprivations. It is, first of all, the political basis of preserving and strengthening of common and indivisible Azerbaijan. Today, the Azerbaijanism is a general historical experience of harmony of national life, peaceful co-existence of faiths, centuries-old traditions of brotherly relations and interaction among all ethnos living in the country, their general destiny and joint fight for integrity, further development and welfare of independent Azerbaijan.
The essence of Azerbaijanism consists in organic unity of cultures and traditions of various peoples and faiths.But content of Azerbaijanism is not limited to solidarity of the peoples living in the territory of Azerbaijan. This ideology also unites peoples interested in the independence and strengthening of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijanism is a system of values reflecting primary national-moral signs, uniting essence of the people, its national thinking.The language, territory, nationality, customs, traditions and ideological unity that concentrate these values, turn the ideology of Azerbaijanism into the sphere without borders. Carriers of the ideology of Azerbaijanism are not only our compatriots living outside Azerbaijan, but also everyone, who, irrespective of nationality, wishes independence, unity and development of Azerbaijan as a legal, democratic state.
Azerbaijanism combines such qualities as “nationality”, “patriotism”, “loyalty”, and also responsibility of the citizen before the society and state.
The ideology of Azerbaijanism with its wide scope also pursues specific purposes. This ideology serves development of free, civil society and creation of a strong state in Azerbaijan.
Now, a number of indicators of the development of globalization are also reflected in the national identity. Presently are of very great importance achievement of harmony between the national ideology and universal values for each people, connection to the process of globalization together with own national-spiritual heritage. Idea of Azerbaijanism, responding these challenges, along with protection of national identity, covers also universal values.
Azerbaijanism constitutes ideological basis for integration of Azerbaijan into the world community.Thanks to this idea the world recognizes us, and we, in turn, propagandize Azerbaijanism as the ideology combining progressive world values (tolerance, ethnic diversity). Today, one of the priorities of Azerbaijan is its integration into the world community in term of ensuring our national customs and traditions. It is extremely important that Azerbaijan found its place in this integration, keeping national identity simultaneously. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has noted: “The Azerbaijani people for centuries dreamed of independence. During various periods we were a part of different states, but have not lost our national peculiarities. Thanks to the fact that we could keep our native language, our culture, our literature developed, national traditions have been preserved. These are key questions determining national identification of each people”.
In the conditions of globalization, the idea of Azerbaijanism makes important the protection of universal values and sees the way of national modernization of the country in integration into the European space, where these values have been established. The idea of Azerbaijanism considers globalization as natural development of the modern world, meaning protection of such universal values as human rights, ensuring the international security in common European space, the principle of territorial integrity of the countries and other important values.
One of the basic elements of Azerbaijanism is nationality uniting in itself political, moral, legal and social qualities of citizens. According to the Article 52 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, “The person having political and legal bond, and also the mutual rights and obligations with the Republic of Azerbaijan is the citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan”. From the ideological point of view, it is interesting the relation of an individual to the society and his position in this regard. In the context of Azerbaijanism, nationality is understood as the individual’s relationship in the socio-political relations developed in the country, being aware of his/her rights and obligations.
Nationality is the basis of Azerbaijanism.Nationality as an important factor during adoption of collective decisions, serves integration of morality and right in society. The civic position allows each person to realize the essence of the long-term social programs and large-scale projects carried out by the authorities. The civic position which is a component of Azerbaijanism creates an important ground for unification of the population of Azerbaijan as people and its development along the line of statehood.
Based on civic position, each person has to be brought up in the spirit of patriotism. Education of the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism is very important from the point of view of national security. Patriotism and statehood make important bases of the ideology of Azerbaijanism. The position of patriotism of the carrier of ideology of Azerbaijanism is very important element in the course of the state construction. From this point of view, the problem number one for Azerbaijan is restoration of territorial integrity of the country, fair solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, putting an end to the occupation our country has undergone, as it is at the same time one of corner provisions of our national ideology as the general task and common goal of all our citizens, all Azerbaijanis over the world. It isn’t casual that today all Azerbaijanis, irrespective of political views and where they live, express solidarity in the question of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Patriotism closely connects the person with the state. This feeling urges each individual to become the owner of his homeland. The concept of patriotism initially doesn’t depend on the political system and is higher than civic position. If nationality reflects the individual’s relationship to the state, then, patriotism is an indicator of comprehensive devotion of the person to the family, the nation and Motherland.
In the context of Azerbaijanism, patriotism means closer dedication of citizens to the state. Patriotism means desire of each person to protect his country, to keep its independence, to promote its development, without denying at the same time loyalty and tolerance. Patriotism is therefore a civic position of each representative of the Azerbaijani people which ennobles him, brings him honor and glory.
The ideology of Azerbaijanism encourages the position of political loyalty of the citizen in the course of state construction. Political loyalty within the ideology of Azerbaijanism is qualitatively high feature of the relationship between society and the authorities. These relations serve stable development of society and state.
Viability of the ideology of Azerbaijanism depends on responsibility of the citizen to society and the state. The civil responsibility in the context of ideology of Azerbaijanism is rather broad concept uniting in itself legal and moral responsibility. But the civil responsibility is more connected with moral responsibility. From this point of view, the ideology of Azerbaijanism serves strengthening of the civil responsibility. Everyone should feel his social responsibility. This responsibility should be reflected not only in compliance with laws, but also in the active civic position, as development and strengthening of society and state depend on the active civic position and civil responsibility of each individual.
The ideology of Azerbaijanism reflects common interests of the common multiethnic nation in construction of the Azerbaijani statehood, the purpose of fight for development of democracy and free economy, improvement of social living conditions. Azerbaijanism as an ideology unites in itself socio-cultural and ethno-political lines of the philosophical and social doctrine of independent Azerbaijan. This ideology constitutes an important basis of mutual support, cooperation and equality.
Ilham Aliyev’s era in evolution of the ideology of Azerbaijanism, differing with its peculiar dynamism enriches this ideology, determines the bases of national-public consciousness, surely raising the position of the Azerbaijani people among the world community. Today, the concept of Azerbaijanism constitutes ideological basis for the development of society. President Ilham Aliyev, characterizing the ideology of Azerbaijanism as an ideological basis of our statehood, has stated: “For centuries, we, as a nation and people, were preserved and protected by our values. Today, very much attention is paid to this question. Today, in the globalized world that faces difficulties, our national values constitute a statehood basis. Our statehood is based on strong ideological bases. The idea of Azerbaijanism is our main ideological support”.
The modern stage of evolution of the ideology of Azerbaijanism, differing with its peculiar dynamism, enriches this ideology, defines bases of the national public consciousness, surely raising position of the Azerbaijani people among the world community.