The rich development path of Azerbaijani national press is an important part of our history of public thought.
Our national press, continuing the line of enlightenment, renewal, and modern cultural thought initiated by “Əkinçi”, played an exceptional role in our people's national self-awareness and the process of national awakening. The “Əkinçi” newspaper, founded on July 22, 1975, by the prominent enlightener, natural scientist, publicist, and thinker Hasan bey Zardabi, played an exceptional role in the formation of national consciousness and self-awareness. At that time, Tsarist Russia reluctantly agreed to the publication of the newspaper, as the education of the people and their acquisition of modern world culture were not in their interest. On the other hand, false religious figures who constantly dragged the country into superstition also always hindered the path of enlightened intellectuals. However, despite all difficulties and deprivations, Zardabi, a great intellectual who loved his people with infinite affection, succeeded in publishing the newspaper.
Despite its name “Əkinçi”, the newspaper's program was very rich. This rich program extensively covered issues such as leading the people out of ignorance, backwardness, and illiteracy onto a broad path of culture, explaining their rights in education and science, making them literate, and opening schools to educate them. The newspaper wrote that one of the reasons hindering our people's development is superstition. Culture is developing, new inventions and discoveries are being made, but our Muslim world remains stagnant.
The world is something that is always in motion, and in this era, humans must also change their behavior according to the world's rotation. Zardabi and the enlightened writers who contributed to this newspaper tried to awaken the people from the sleep of ignorance and heedlessness. Naturally, all of this could not but disturb the ruling circles of the time.
Moreover, some hypocrites who considered themselves “intellectuals” under the dictation of Tsarism also attacked “Əkinçi”. Thus, on September 29, 1877, “Əkinçi” was forced to cease publication. Although this newspaper, which laid the foundation of the Azerbaijani national press, lasted only two years, it played a very significant role in educating the people in a national and modern spirit. After “Əkinçi”, its path was continued by “Ziya”, “Kəşkül”, “Kaspi”, and other newspapers that opened new pages of the national press.
Despite its short lifespan, the “Əkinçi” newspaper played a major role in the history of Azerbaijani press. This newspaper, full of democratic ideas, rendered great services in the development of schools, enlightenment, science, and culture.
Ramziyya Najafova;
Neftchala district