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Theoretical Background for a Safe Eurasian Integration: Al Farabi's World

State Theory

Conference Paper · November 2014

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 Theoretical Background for a Safe Eurasian Integration: Al Farabi’s
World State Theory

Fikret BİRDİŞLİ
Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University
fbirdisli@ksu.edu.tr
+90 344 2801534

Abstract
Globalization and post-cold War conditions increases the incentives for state to pursue more
cooperative economic and security policies in regional an international level. So, the region of Eurasia
is crucial due to blatantly asymmetrical relations, economic sources and ethnic clutter. So re-
stabilization of region is important for local and global economy and security. Hence, collaborative
and integrative efforts in the region are gaining greater importance. Especially economic and security
issues has increasingly interest over Region. But this paper highlights the requirement of a
philosophical background for safe integration via beckoning to the connection between ideas of
Immanuel Kant and European Union relationship. So hypothesis of this paper is that Al Farabi is a
remarkable philosopher and his ideas are comprehensive and satisfier for genuine Eurasian integration
especially between Turkish speaking countries. Therefore this paper aims to introduce political
philosophy of Al Farabi about collaboration and integration while take attention to the “World State”
theory.
Key words: Al Farabi, regionalism, regional integration and Eurasia

Özet
Soğuk Savaş sonrası koşullar ve küreselleşme olgusu özellikle ekonomi ve güvenlik
konularında bölgesel ve uluslararası işbirliğine olan ilgiyi artırmıştır. Avrasya bölgesi ekonomik
kaynaklar ve etnik dağınıklığın neden olduğu asimetrik ilişkiler nedeniyle dikkat çekici öneme
sahiptir. Bu bağlamda bölgenin yeniden bir dengeye kavuşması yerel ve küresel ekonomi açısından
büyük önem taşır. Dolayısıyla özellikle ekonomi ve güvenlik konularında bölgede işbirliği ve
entegrasyon çabaları önemlidir. Fakat bu makale konuya farklı bir açıdan yaklaşmakta Avrupa Birliği
ve Immanuel Kant’ın düşünceleri arasındaki ilişkiye dikkat çekerek güvenli bir işbirliği ve
entegrasyon için bir felsefi arka plana olan ihtiyacın altını çizmektedir. Bu bağlamda makalenin
hipotezi Orta Asya’da özellikle Türkçe konuşan ülkeler arasında gerçekleşebilecek olan bir ortaklık
için Farabi’nin fikirlerinin oldukça kapsayıcı ve doyurucu olduğu yönündedir. Bu nedenle bu makale
Farabi’nin siyaset konusundaki fikirlerini “Dünya Devleti” teorisi bağlamında tanıtmayı
amaçlamaktadır.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Farabi, bölgeselcilik, bölgesel entegrasyon ve Avrasya

1
 1. Introduction
Al Farabi was a renowned scientist and philosopher who lived between A.C.870-950
and synthesis Islamic thought with classical Hellenic philosophy in the Islamic Golden Age.
He was remarkable philosopher by not only contribution to the dialectic philosophy but also
in many field as being a cosmologist, logician, and musician. So He is representing the
multidisciplinary approach of Muslim scientists. He’s education life also reflect the
versatility in age of science of Muslim world. His well known books Kitab-el Siyaset’ül
Medeniye and Mebadi Ara Ehl el-Medina el-Fadıla were prominent in political philosophy as
a reference.
Farabi perceives politic as a philosophical science and determines that the ultimate
goal of the life is to reach true happiness. The meaning of true happiness is to reach idealized
maturity personally (philosophical enlightenment) (Aslan,2013:20). But this personal
perfectness cannot be achieved individual efforts because of differentiation and distribution of
qualifies. So this reality requires collaboration between human. The functionality of politic is
distribution of values and resources, if so the politic is the art of administration for common
life.
Actually these affirmations are not only belonging to the Al Farabi. He inherited them
from Peripatetic’s. But, Al Farabi developed these affirmations by applying to the society in
politic form. The imperfect and nucleic model for collaboration is the family. Next step for
perfectness is the city collaboration and then regional or universal integration. Al Farabi calls
this ultimate collaboration as the ideal model of society or virtuous society (ma’mura al-
fadıla). Al Farabi tries to strengthen this explanation with analogy by resembling with
functioning of the human body and nature. The other ones who touched to this reality are the
stoics in classical philosophers. So Al Farabi is a Universalist philosopher with the stoics and
story of political collaboration and integration are very old.
Globalization and post-cold War conditions increases the incentives for state to pursue
more cooperative economic and security policies in regional an international level again. So,
the region of Eurasia is crucial due to blatantly asymmetrical relations, economic sources and
ethnic clutter. So re-stabilization of region is important for local and global economy and
security. Hence, collaborative and integrative efforts in the region are gaining greater
importance. Especially economic and security issues has increasingly interest over Region.
But this paper highlights the requirement of a philosophical background for safe integration
via beckoning to the connection between ideas of Immanuel Kant and European Union
relationship. So hypothesis of this paper is that Al Farabi is a remarkable philosopher and his

2
ideas are comprehensive and satisfier for genuine Eurasian integration especially between
Turkish speaking countries.
In another aspect, the ideas of Al Farabi may fill the gap in political philosophy.
Because even holistic theories like the universal peace, world politics, international and
transnational community have been very popular in academic field, historical absence of non-
Western world has causes a blind point in this field (Booth,2012:20; Buzan and Hansen,
2009:19; Bilgin,2010:617). So contribution of Al Farabi is valuable.
Third true is that Al Farabi is a philosopher who exceed his time while many
philosopher stuck in it (Arslan,2013:13). For example ideas of the Aristotle have been limited
by Greek state. Machiavelli was oblivious to the other than Christian world, ideas of Thomas
Hobbes has been shaped by the throne rivalry between Spain and England (Bagby,2002:49).
Others philosophers such as Locke, Rousseau and Mill were also the man of their times and
geography. Another philosopher Kant is also known as the intellectual architecture of
European Union (EU) due to theory of “perpetual peace”. So his anxiety was about Europe
(Katzenstein, 1996: 6). Besides founder of the Security Community theory Karl Deutsch was
also care with Europe, not to whole world (Dedeoğlu, 2012:383). In summary almost efforts
of the many political philosophers were about Western civilization. But, Al Farabi who also
follower of the classical philosophy doctrine has synthesized Islamic thought with classical
Western philosophy and developed a holistic approaches about politics. So in this aspect,
ideas of Al Farabi are eligible as philosophical references to the collaborative initiatives in
world politics. Especially the World Theory is remarkable for universal peace. Hence
hypothesis of this paper is that Al Farabi is a remarkable philosopher and his ideas are
comprehensive and satisfier for genuine Eurasian integration especially between Turkish
speaking countries in this context. Therefore this paper aims to introduce political philosophy
of Al Farabi about collaboration and integration while take attention to the “World State”
theory.
Descriptive and inductive method has been used and the ideas of Al Farabi have been
interpreted in the context of political philosophy.

2. Al Farabi in the Classical Philosophy

Al Farabi was famous as a great logician between Islam philosophers so he called as
Second Master (Muallim-i Sani) after the First Master Aristotle (Muallim-i Evvel) (Kaya
2003:108). Even though in this characterization for Al Farabi, he was the representative of the
idealism with Plato against Aristotle’s realism in classical philosophy.

3
 Thus Farabi has a parallel posture with Plato via establishing a relationship between
the ideal political structure and universal dominance (Çilingir,2009:9).
Al Farabi also has a proposal also about ideal political system like Socrates, Plato, and
Aristotle and additionally, he synthesized the classical ancient philosophy with Islamic
thought by using of inherited knowledge. So, this reality facilitated to offer more perfect and
logical proposal about the ideal states and the political order for Al Farabi. For example,
Plato has not been fully understood about what does it means while installing relationship
between gods and divine (Arneldez, cited by Gürsoy, 1990:120). Al Farabi has completed
missing part of the wise president of ideal city by concept of the “first president” via Islamic
thought. In this frame, while both Aristotle and Al Farabi believing that the religion and
philosophy are different aspect of the same truth, Al Farabi was the first philosopher who
explain this reality by harmonizing in a systematic manner and reconcile it with the real world
(Çilingir,2009:36). So it's necessary to determine common ideas Plato, Aristotle and Al Farabi
via comparison for assessment of real value ideas of Al Farabi.
The main purpose of philosophy is to describe a general understanding of the world
that will serve to demonstrate a certain behavior. In this point, the main problematic of
philosophy is that to explain existence of the other than human and the knot of the Gordian is
that where the human is positioned between others creature. Aims of the Old and new
philosopher is to investigate ways that will human take to the true happiness, because they
believe in a human centric universe. In this context power, justice and ideal political system
are fundamental subject of the political philosophy.
Prevail and common character of the classical philosopher’s such a Socrates, Plato and
Aristotle even Al Farabi are that they affected and influenced by wars and political conflict in
their times and they have try to find an answer to all problems in the political philosophy.
Peloponnesian wars which sparked by willing for more power and wealthy between
Athena and Sparta has given indelible impression on Socrates and Plato’s intellectual world
(Bagby,2002:2).
Plato who pupil of the Socrates has negatively influenced form execution of master by
Athena’s pluralist democracy (Bagby,2002:2). Therefore Plato criticized political system of
Athena and investigated that how should an ideal administration and virtuous life, after the
determined rational structure of politic. As a result he developed the hypothesis of ideas
which containing logic and metaphysics. According to the Plato everything are changes in
universe, if so noting may be authentic hence all existence should be rely on a stable reality
(Platon,2001:78).

4
 3. Practical Philosophy of Al Farabi
Al Farabi has based he’s political philosophy on the ontological fundamentals. He also
stated that ultimate goal of the life to reach true happiness like other classical philosopher
also. But he distinguished from others by claiming of that nobody may reach this goal
alone. Therefore al-Farabi emphasizes that philosophy is both a theoretical and practical
discipline.
The politic is a science which aims to reach true happiness while other philosophy
works on the meaning of true happiness according to the Al Farabi (Aydın, 2012:16). So,
political philosophy (ilm-i siyaset) may call as the practical philosophy in overall philosophy.
But political philosophy also has included practical and theoretical dimension also. So, ideas
of Al Farabi should divide two as “theoretical policy” and “practical policy”. In this frame the
the meaning of El Felsefetü’s Siyase is the political philosophy and meaning of El Felsefetü’l
Mediniye is practical policy (Farabi,1990:129). Thus, Book of the Al Farabi Mabadi Ara Ehl
al-Madina al Fadıla which is famous shortly as “Medinetü’l Fazıla” has some typology about
practice. According to the Badavi concept of Madina is not equal to the concept of the police
which is used by Plato and Aristotle, but it should be understood as the state, regime,
government or administration (Cited by Arslan, 2013:21).

Philosphy

Logic Theoretical Practical Philosopy

Philosophy

Metaphysic Morality

Psychology Politics

Theoretical
Politic

Practical
Politcs

Graphic 1. The relationship between Philosophy and Politics in Idea of Al Farabi

After this typology, it’s very important that how defined the concept of the true
happiness by Al Farabi. According to the Al Farabi true happiness is the idealized maturity. A
person may have this maturity by understanding of his personality and all things in around

5
than exceeding all of them by the perspicacity (Aslan,2013:20). So the development of
cognitive abilities (philosophical enlightenment) are depends on the presence of qualitative
and quantitative conditions. Besides collaboration is necessary because every people have
different and multidimensional abilities, so emergence of the ideal condition requires
articulation of different abilities. Therefore politics is more than normative science which
determines ideal condition for true happiness and become a practical art which explains how
ideal society should be organized. This is the practical politics.
In the philosophy of Al Farabi, ethics and politics are two important cases which are
impossible to separate from each other. Because ethic is phenomenological approach to the
true happiness which is the ultimate goal of the life in context of being happy and politics is a
practical approach in context of making happy (Aydın, 2012: 13).
According to the Adıvar (1947:11,18) Al Farabi is the first founder of intellectualism
and peculiar philosophical school which is flowed by Avicenna (İbn-i Sina) and Averroes
(İbn-i Rüşd) while some researchers accept the philosophy of Al Farabi as eclectic in regard
of influence of Aristotle , Plato and Plotinus (Arslan, 2013:13; Çilingir,2009:43). Actually Al
Farabi has completed deficient of the peripatetic doctrine and transforms it from
transcendental one into a system while influenced from Aristotle and Plato’s ideas in his own
philosophy.
Nevertheless the ideas of the Al Farabi about fundamental problems of the political
philosophy such as the sources of the political power, sources of legality, ownership, and
fundamental rights understood indirectly.

4. Theory of State and Universalism in Philosophy of Al Farabi

Political concerns and problems influence ideas of philosopher in their times. For
examples, political ideas of the Plato and Aristotle have been maturated by political
atmosphere of their city (Bayraklı, 1983:10). Ideas of the Machiavelli also shaped by
impressive effect which was created by rivalry and conflict between city states of the Italy
(Heywood,2007:25). Hobbes has tried to stand personally up by acting as a realist versus
political problems of the times. Kant has intended Europe in his perpetual peace theory while
mention about worldwide economy and peace. So, true universalism may find in philosophy
of Stoats and Al Farabi.
Stoats have actually contemplated a universal state after the Greek sites were
swallowed by the rising empire of Alexander. But it’s not clear that Universalist ideas of Al
Farabi maturated by whom or what (Bayraklı,1983:10). Nevertheless ideas of the Al Farabi

6
are brilliant because of the classification of states which generated from specific one to the
general (Graphic 2).

Communities

Imperfect Communities Perfect Communities

Family Small (City)

Street Middle
(Country/region))

District Great (World)

Vilage

Graphic 2. The Communities According to the Al Farabi (Bayraklı,1983:65).

Al Farabi evaluate the state as a necessary result of the common needs as it is in the
idea of Plato (El-Farabi,2012.a:75). But differently, Al Farabi doesn’t perceived state as a
most perfect model of the political organization. In his intellectual mind, the most perfect
model of political organization is a global organization or state. His World State model is
depends on the ontological theory which begins with transformation from local organization
to the global state (Bayraklı, 1983:31).
According to the Al Farabi there are parallelism between management of universe and
society. So, the collaboration of city, state and world scale will cause a cybernetic structure
like as in the universal harmony which was created by a universal supporting system
expanded from inner cycle to the universe.
The analogy of the Al Farabi about state is not restricted with universe. He tries to
explain same reality with bio-organic systems. Especially the reasoning about characteristic of
president has depends on the bio-organic theory. Al Farabi says the president or a leader is
very important like importance of the heart in the human body. So this theory make Al Farabi
different from peripatetic because they resemblance leader to the brain (or mind). Therefore
Plato claims kings should select from philosopher but Al Farabi is more tolerant. After that Al
Farabi touches to the ideal specialties of a president. Then he realized no body may have all
these qualification, if so he offers a parliament or executive committee for ideal state
(Aydın,2012:21; Adıvar,1947:51).

7
 5. Regional and Universal Integration According to the Al Farabi
Some social communities such as family, street, district and village has been accepted
as imperfect models due to unpolitical character by Al Farabi. Because Al Farabi expressed
that the ultimate goal of the politic is to reach true happiness and it cannot be possible in a
society which is smaller than city (Farabi, 2012b:98). But other political communities would
be ideal model for ultimate goal, unless collaboration with others. So, ideal model will be
developed by greater scale collaboration from city than state till universal collaboration.
But theory of Al Farabi is not inspired from ontological theory. Besides, theory of
harmony has been modeled from bio-organic structure. He likened the state to the body of
human and explains development of state with growth of body. Human body lives and growth
in harmony of organs. So, social and economic justice is necessary and for healthy growth and
its possible with harmony and collaboration (Bayraklı,1983:37). Therefore true happiness is a
social success and the integration or collaboration is the way of to reach this ideal politic. In
this context driving forces for the regional and universal integration are:
a) Common interests
b) Common defense
c) Geographic proximity

a) Common interests: The probability of political success in ultimate goals has

increase with collaboration and integration. Individual satisfaction maximized by social
happiness and social happiness maximized by achievement of common interest by social
collaboration also. Private and collective concerns also have been deterred by common
efforts. But the reason for collaboration in the ideal society shouldn’t be restricted with
common interest. More reasons may be countable for more stable collaboration.
b) Common defense: According to the Al Farabi punishment of the criminals and
divergent is necessary for security of communities. This war is morally justifiable (jus ad
bellum) so president has the right to go to war through this criteria. All Farabi summarized
concept of the jus ad bellum that if a war necessary for reach true happiness than this war
called as just war.
c) Geographic proximity: According to the Al Farabi, big society has consisted of
many smaller communities in collaboration with each other. Nations differ from others in
three criteria: nature, geographic character and language. So Al Farabi explained the effect of
the geography on the national character approximately four century before Ibn Khaldun
(Farabi, 2012:76). Moreover it, he tries to explain how to effect position and distance of the

8
planet and stars on the creation of national character. He says emergence of different national
character has effected by different celestial bodies of territorial sky. This theory has retreated
by Erzurum’s Sufi and scholar İbrahim Hakkı also around eighteenth century.
According to the Al Farabi, fusion of different national culture and characteristic causes
emergence of new political culture. Like ancestor of Mongols and Turks are Huns, Ancestor
of German and British are Teutons.
So, environmental aspect of Al Farabi’s theory is not including only nature but space
and celestial bodies also. Therefore it can be deducted that geographic proximity is ideal for
harmonized collaboration also (Farabi,2012:77).

6. Ideal conditions for ideal Collaboration in Al Farabi doctrine

Al Farabi agrees with others classical philosophers about that it’s possible to reach
ideal society and true happiness via developed societies. But ideas of Plato and Aristotle have
not overcome to the ancient Greek states in about integration and collaboration. According to
the Bayraklı, the reason of this restriction in mind is the national religion of Greek’s. But Al
Farabi was synthesized the ancient philosophy with Islamic thought and he took advantage of
universal character of Islam. In this context the real happiness is a social success which
includes managers and peoples. The collaboration or integration is necessary for achive this
goal (Aydın,2012:18).
Al Farabi has declared that the love and justice is two kind of factor which are
indispensable for ideal integration, But he hasn’t give a clear explanation about love what
does it means. For all that, it’s understand from ontological philosophy of Al Farabi the
meaning of the love is that willing of to keep and pursuance of ideal conditions. Hence we can
call the concept of the love of Al Farabi is a social attractiveness and this is a guarantee with
justice for stable collaboration.
According to the Al Farabi the ideal conditions for safe integration are:
a) Common committee or council
b) Education programs
c) Socio-political attractiveness and justice

a) Common committee or council

Al-Farabi charged to the leaders to establish a "virtuous" society by justice and
guiding them towards "true happiness. So qualification of leader for ideal state is crucial as
it’s in classical philosophy. But Plato and Aristotle gives this duty to the philosophers due to

9
only they may guiding towards happiness. But Al Farabi is more tolerant while the majority
of his philosophical output has been influenced by Aristotelian thought. Besides, Al Farabi is
realistic about qualification required for a leader, so he advice a council (Aydın,2012:21).
Therefore his ideas about management and leader are very close to the federalism or
confederalism in a democratic system.
b) Education programs
Knowledge is crucial for Al Farabi. He discovers the limits of human knowledge in his
own school of early Islamic philosophy. Therefore his theology is also more than just
metaphysics as rhetoric. Al Farabi actually intended to outline a political program in his
writings so he unites theory and practice in the sphere of the political and liberates practice
from theory. He knows ideal states or virtue society may not only depend on the qualification
of leaders. Education will increase level of society. But ordinary people are not able to
educate by philosophy because most of people decides to fallow others instead of struggle for
knowledge. Hence education of people should base on persuasion not philosophy. Hereby the
aims of the education is a formation of character (Farabi,2012:15).
c) Socio-political Attractiveness and Justice:
Al Farabi accepts love and justice are two factors that cause people closer to each
other. The love is emotional attractiveness and its serve to keep community more integrated
and in harmony while the justice serves to keep society in union. People who citizen of ideal
state feel a loyalty to the state or union because of material and emotional satisfaction. Hence
people have willing to keep this socio-political integration. The other people who are in
outside of ideal states or community have also willing to include by such an ideal society.
This attractiveness is a kind of socio-political love. The Justice serves to continuation of this
ideal collaboration with social cohesion by regarding of harmony and satisfaction.

7. Integration of Eurasia in the Context of Political Philosophy of Al Farabi

After the cold war rivalry and penetrative quality of global power interest has been
declined in the rest of the world. So regional level stands more clearly on its own as the locus
of conflict and cooperation for states (Buzan,2005:10). Besides typology of super power,
great power and regional power has keeping its geopolitical value for evaluation of
relationship between states in international arena. Additionally ending of post cold war
exposed and reinforced the shift in the nature of security agenda which include range of non-
military issues and actors. At the same time the growing power of the global market generate
regional cooperation initiative in many respects. But the region of former Soviet Union has

10
presented great suspicion about to gain enough independence for establishing normal
relationship due to their asymmetrical position which was legacy of Soviet policies. In this
context regional and international collaboration has great importance for Post Soviet space.
But some dynamic of the regions and rivalry like between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
Russia and Ukraine and some acute conflict like Abkhazia and Chechen question forces to the
sub-regional integration before regional one.
Although it has not been really seen the mooted “new great game” with powers
around central Asia competing for influence, the region-internal as well as external actors –
plays a number of complicated and unstable strategic game that make it highly interesting but
also very open (Buzan and Waever,2005:10). Therefore dangerous conflicts are gradually
cooling down while inclination to the cooperation increases.
So, many initiatives have begun in sub-regional cooperation. These are varied from
security issue to the, economic or cultural issues. The most perennial ones are Commonwealth
of Independent States (CIS), Alliance of Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and
Moldova (GUUAM), Caucasian House.
Generally the economic part of the organizations has not been developed but default
many of the countries are drifting closer to each other as a result of post soviet dependence on
infrastructure and failure in alternative market (Buzan and Waver, 2005:411). Security issues
also has similar problem. For example collective security component of the CIS also has had a
problem of several countries not signing. Nevertheless economic and security cooperation are
most reasonable ones between integration models. Therefore the proposal of the President of
Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev about Eurasian Union was inductive project for regional
integration in 1994 (İşyar,2013:209). This project has been relived as The Eurasian Economic
Union (EEU) of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus in May 29, 2014.
EEU can be considered a turning point in the process of integration in the region.
Actually the initiative of the Kazakhstan is the most favorable one in the region. Because,
Nazarbayev who is rarely emphasis on the national sovereignty between other leaders. He
announced that working for integration instead of becoming source of world economy or
being under the influence of superpowers in a TV program at 2005 (İşyar,2013:211).
Another reason for regional or sub-regional cooperation is depends on the post
September 11 conditions. Because of the September 11 atmosphere has facilitated the
penetration of USA to the Central Asia. USA deployed his army almost in every part of
central Asia in the name of war on terror. But the struggles for spreading of democracy for
ensuring of permanency of USA in the region have caused deep doubt against West.

11
Nevertheles many politicians prefer to consistently pursue a balanced policy between Russia
and West. Actually many countries need to a reliable partner and collaborator for gaining
independence from Russia while standing on own steps in Central Asia. But this partner must
be from out of region because of ethnic conflicts between regional countries. Many ethnicity
blends into each other because of the Soviet Union’s Matryoshka doll model. In the
Matryoshka doll model, Soviet politicians mixed many ethnicities by way of exile and
deportation policy for heterogeneity. So many regions have fragile construction. So many
Central Asia countries decided to have authoritarian regime.
All real politics which shed light on the necessity of regional collaboration brings
Turkey to the scene. Of the external powers, Turkey was originally more seen as a strong
candidate for a new big brother when compare with its past which Turkey has had lower
ambitions due to both its own economic difficulties and lack of enthusiasm in the region.
Historical ties and fossil energy deficit of Turkey has triggered many bilateral platforms in
language, culture, history, religion and economic relation between Turkey and regional
countries.
It’s widely accepted that the westernization is not only way for modernization and
Eastern countries also take the road on contemporary civilization. But European Union is
genuine and successful experience about new regional collaborations. So EU tried to be
modeled by many regional organizations. Besides integration and enlargement process of
European countries has valuable experience for successful common policies.
Success of EU is about not only economically but also freedoms and democratic
rights. These normative values are stands on the dreams of Immanuel Kant, universal peace.
Actually Kantian ideas are of the foremost important to development of the EU. The EU in its
current form suits Kant’s definition of a federation of sovereign states, united for the purpose
of securing peace and more. So regional integration struggles have transform Europe from
arena of regular war and conflict into the society of peace, prosperity and rights.
So, It is obvious that it its development the EU will undergo difficulties and crises.
However, the general direction, chosen by the union of European states, aiming at the
development of rights and liberties, at good-will and cooperation between individuals,
societies and states perfectly corresponds to the spirit of Kant's philosophy and should
guarantee of success in establishing global peace in the future (Salikov, 2013:24). In this
context EU is could be seen as a successfully regional collaboration if ignored of some
problems on political integration.

12
 Besides Kant also is not only philosopher who states integration for ultimate goal such
a peace and prosperity. Al Farabi has pointed to a collaboration of states –not regionally- in
universal level almost 950 years before Kant. So Al Farabi could fill the gap in the maturing
collaboration in the Central Asia as a philosopher as well as would be benefited from Kant
also. Al Farabi is important figure for Eurasian integration in five reasons.
a) Al Farabi is the son of the region
b) Ideas of Farabi convenient for Eurasia because of cultural and religious background
c) Al Farabi’s ideas are synthesis of classical Western philosophy and Islamic thought
d) Core values of world state theory of Al Farabi is eligible for both regional and
global collaboration.
e) Al Farabi ideas are clearer from any other philosopher to explain reasons and
requirements of collaboration.

8. Discussion and Result

The idea and process of Eurasian integration was historically old. But efforts to
salvage economic and security independence and rebuilding of business ties began
immediately after the break-up of the USSR. Penetrative quality of super power to periphery
has declined after the Cold War while non-governmental social, political and economic
organizations independent role increased. So regional level stands more clearly on its own as
the locus of conflict and cooperation fore states in the post Cold War (Buzan and
Weaver,2005:10). So CIS, ECO, Black Sea Economic Cooperation and Eurasia Economic
Union were all relevant to integration efforts.
The region refers to level where states or other units link together sufficiently closely
that their interest and securities connate be considered spate from each other. Therefore all
countries in the Eurasia region has many bilateral link and needs for many kind of regional
cooperation. Another new integration process of Turkic-speaking States initiated during the
Fourth Turkic Council Summit is also quite relevant for the Eurasian Region.
Regional collaboration between Turkish speaking countries and Turkey is very
important for regional countries, because they don’t wants to be vassal of Russia again even if
the scope of economic cooperation. Actually Eurasians defends restoration of Russia’s
influence again on region by mutual collaboration also (İşyar,2013:92). So, one of the
problems of economic and political cooperation is instinctive and subliminal fears. This
barrier may overcome by larger cooperation models. Hence integration of Turkish speaking
countries is necessary for overcome this physiological barrier.

13
 In this crossroad ideas of Al Farabi may be guidance for successfully integration of
Turkish speaking countries. Every successful model has philosophical background or
constructive philosophy as in EU via ideas of Immanuel Kant. This paper offers that Al
Farabi should be announced as the constructive father of integration of Turkish speaking
countries in Eurasia region.
In shed light of the ideas of Al Farabi, Turkish speaking countries have common and
mutual interest for integrations. But Al Farabi says only economic interest are not enough for
good and safe integration. Because, ultimate goal of people is to reach true happiness and this
is cannot be achievable by in fears of independence or anxious. Many ex-Soviet states have
concern about continuation of center-periphery relationship by way of economic and political
integration. Usually Russia percept it’s regional collaboration initiatives as a (re)integration of
ex-Soviet complex and wants to use it as a foreign policy tools in global rivalry (Bordachev
and Skriba,2014:16). So most prominent national interest of the Turkish Speaking countries in
collaboration with Turkey and each other is to secure their independent positions after the
post-Soviet era. Collaboration with Turkey works for it.
Another reason for collaboration between Turkish speaking countries in Eurasia is
common defense. According to the Al Farabi the meaning of common security and defenses
are related with not only external threat but also internal problems. Elimination of problems
serves to true happiness. If so, precautions for public order and even war are called justice.
In this context, all regional countries have been faced by threats of expansion of West
and China as well as Russia’s reintegration struggles. This threat produces internal and
external risk for all countries in the region. For example, USA and Western countries
perceive these countries as a backyard of Russia’s. So, USA and West trying to get advantage
via spreading of democracy by colored revolutions (Walberg, 2010). Therefore internal threat
such as rising of extremism and the mass movements are important for Turkish speaking
countries as well as extern security threats. In this respect, existence of Turkeys as a laic and
democratic state in the region is crucial also.
Third reason for collaboration is geographic proximity. According to the Farabi,
common national characteristics serve for best integration. The meaning of geographic
proximity is cultural and linguistic affinity firstly. Physical geography causes for creation of
common national characteristic. So, regional states share common geography and common
culture and language with Turkey also.
In these frame, ideal collaboration between Turkish speaking countries in Eurasia
region should be formed with fallowing qualification.

14
 a) Turkey is a valuable and respected partner and big brother for middle Asia states
and folks in actually. But authoritarian role and discourse in the collaboration may irritate
these repressed countries for many years. So, common council and committee around a round
table is best solution for safe integration.
b) Common education programs are important for widely sharing idea of collaboration
between states. Not only state authorities but even people also should believe for regional
collaboration. Besides, common educational program serve for creating of common popular
culture between nations. In fact, in the Europe which is accepted as a successful union, shared
thing in real sense is common popular culture. Most of countries in Europe have keeping the
historical enmity for each other in their social subconscious. But Eurasian countries especially
Turkish speaking countries have more friendly reason for collaboration. In this context
common education policy and common lifelong learning programs are necessary for safe
integration.
c) Third reason for safe integration is the socio-political charm and attraction
according to the al Farabi. Al Farabi believes that a compatible collaboration produce the
gravitational force between states and folks. Hence national leaders will be pressed by the will
of the people beyond of the technical reason for collaboration. For example, common belief
that membership of EU is necessary for modernization of Turkey in public sphere is pressing
to political leaders to give support for accession process.
Finally, ideas of Al Farabi will give philosophical deepness and historical value to the
Eurasian integration and collaboration. Al Farabi’s World state theory is the logical an
political explanation of strengthening collaboration which is expands from the core toward
periphery. So ideas of Al Farabi should be regarded as a founding father of Eurasian
collaboration and integration between regional countries.

15
Аннотация
В периоде после холодной войны с точки зрения экономических, политических
интересов и интересов безопасных, региональные и международные усилия по
интеграции приобрели большое значение. С экономической и политической точки
зрения Евразийский регион является одним из самых важных географических регионов
мира. Поэтому, в этом регионе нужны сотрудничества с разных точек зрения чтобы
предоставлять гармонию и баланс. Совместные усилия, стремятся реализовать среди
тюркоязычных стран, является одним из самых значительных инициатив. Поэтому,
считается что, опыты Турции о темах Европейского Таможенного Союза и
кандидатуры “EC”, будут полезны для региональных стран. Кроме того, нужна
теоретическая основа модели каждого интеграции. Например, теория Канта " к вечному
миру” был основным предметом политического и экономического интеграции Европы.
Точно, так же как в Европе, в Евразийском регионе считается что, политические
взгляды Фараби смогут создать теоретические основы и мотивацию чтобы было
сотрудничество безопасности и постоянное сотрудничество. Наконец то, в этой статье
теория мирового правительства Фараби, рассматривается, почему и в каком
направлении должна быть этот идеальный процесс интеграции.

16
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