Political Scientist Prof. Doğu Ergil: “What Does the Metaphor of Cain and Abel Mean in Politics?”

Political Scientist Prof. Doğu Ergil: “What Does the Metaphor of Cain and Abel Mean in Politics?”
Liberal TR Haber Merkezi
Publish: 26.05.2026
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The story of Abel and Cain, found in the Bible and the Qur’an, is often used in politics as a metaphor for the transition from brotherhood to conflict, the lust for power, and crises of legitimacy.

In the narrative, Abel represents labor, innocence, and moral legitimacy, while Cain symbolizes jealousy, the desire for power, and violence. For this reason, in political thought, “Cain politics” is regarded as the symbol of an understanding that seeks to eliminate opponents rather than persuade them, and that sees political power not as a shared responsibility, but as property to be seized.

This metaphor is particularly powerful in modern politics for describing how members of the same society or the same political tradition can turn one another into “enemies.” Because between Abel and Cain there is not foreignness, but brotherhood. Therefore, the true tragedy of the metaphor lies in the fact that conflict emerges not from outside, but from within.

Civil wars, internal party purges, ideological divisions, and political lynching cultures are often explained through the Abel-Cain metaphor as examples of “brother devouring brother.”

From the perspective of political theory, this narrative also reveals the thin line between civilization and violence. The fact that the first murder in human history emerged from a crisis of power, superiority, and recognition serves as a universal warning about how politics can become a destructive force when detached from morality.

For this reason, the Abel-Cain metaphor can be read not only as a symbol of individual jealousy, but also as a critique of political cultures that lose legitimacy, demonize opponents, and choose elimination over coexistence with differences.

“Does it sound familiar?”

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Liberal TR Haber Merkezi
Liberal TR Haber Merkezi
A digital news platform delivering developments in Türkiye and the world to its readers with an objective and principled perspective. Liberal TR Haber Merkezi.
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