The Concept of ‘Great Man’ in Ziya Gökalp’s Sociological Theory

Raised in final years of Ottoman Empire and shaped by its historical environment, Ziya Gökalp remains one of the most influential thinkers whose ideas help illuminate the trajectory of Turkish society and newly founded Turkish Republic. This study examines Gökalp’s approach to the concept of Great Man within the framework of his sociological thought. By studying Gökalp’s approach to the concept pertaining to Western and Ottoman intellectual traditions, the article traces historical roots of Great Man theory. It argues that Gökalp’s understanding of Great Man cannot be reduced to well-known individual–society or actor–structure dichotomy of sociology. Rather, it represents a distinctive mode of reading history and social transformation through moral, cultural, and civilizational lenses. The study compares Gökalp’s ideas with those of several Turkish sociologists, including Z. F. Fındıkoğlu, and also with the views of Thomas Carlyle, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Herbert Spencer, Gabriel Tarde, highlighting convergences-divergences concerning the origins, functions, and societal roles of extraordinary individuals namely great man-heroes. It demonstrates that Gökalp synthesises elements from positivism, German idealism, and Ottoman intellectual traditions to articulate a dual typology of great men: The Reformers[Müceddid], who embodies the collective conscience, and the Inventors[Mubdi] representing the creative spirit of civilization. The article concludes that the concept of Great Man, as addressed by Gökalp, emerges primarily in periods of historical crisis—moments when societies confront moral disintegration and seek intellectual, cultural, political renewal. Thus, Gökalp’s treatment of the topic reflects both a sociological and civilizational response to the deep social traumas of his age.