Modern Middle Eastern History 2.docx - Modern Middle...

Modern Middle Eastern History
Turkey after Ataturk- 12/01/2016
President Kemal Ataturk
Break with Ottoman Empire; capital changed and a new constitution was passed which affirmed its
sovereignty.
Throughout his presidency Inonu served as PM.
6 principles of Kemalism:
Reformism
Republicanism
Secularism eg. Religious schools closed, 1926 shari’ah abolished and replaced with the Swiss civil
code, made a criminal offence to wear a fez 1925
Nationalism. Attempted to create pride in identity; language reform replaced Turkish alphabet with
Latin
Populism; educational expansion; 1923-40 the no. of schools doubled
Etatism; state capitalism. Gov decided to intervene in the economy. Announcement of a 5 year plan in
1933; large scale textile and steel plants constructed; neglect of agriculture in this period
Kemal saw the future of Turkey as following in the foot steps of Europe; wanted to reduce the
influence of Islamic organisations on social and political life, separating it from the state as opposed
to abolishing it.
Kemalism was driven by the vision of the state running things.
Died 1938.
Succeeded by Ismet Inonu.
Took the country into ww2. Kept Turkey neutral until it was clear who was going to will; feb 1945
Turkey declared war on Germany.
1945 USSR demanded a greater share in governing the Turkish Straits and put forward claims to
Turkish territory. President Inonus gov, encouraged by UK and US, rejected the Soviet demands and
asserted its sovereignty.
Inonu followed the lines of economic development laid down by Ataturk; government took a major
role in sponsoring economic development. By the late 1940s the business sector waned more freedom
for private entrepreneurial activity, and the Turkish peasantry (made up most of the pop) was unhappy
with the focus on industry at the expense of agriculture. Four members of the national assembly took
advantage of this unrest and formed the Democratic Party developed. Was critical of RPP’s economic
policy; now an opposition party present; although its program didn’t differ significantly from the
RRPs. DP pledged to reduce the interventionist practices of the Kemalist state.
1946 elections held and Republicans People’s Party returned to office.
Democratic Party came to power in 1950 and stayed until 1960. Democrats won 408 seats in the
national assembly/ Republicans 48; end of 20 years of Republican rule. Transition to multiparty
democracy.

Adnan Menderes PM 1950-1960.
Bayar president. National assembly dominated by professionals and business people as opposed to
military officers, and neither the PM or president had a military background.
One of the DPs first acts was to legalise the call to prayer in Arabic.
Construction of 5000 new mosques.
DP modified the secularist policy of Ataturk. Arabic call to prayer allowed, expansion of religious
teaching in schools, repair and construction of mosques, more public religious ritual (Ramadam, Hajj)
Economic policy- Reduced the role of the state, agricultural reforms (Allowed for the prosperity of
the business class), building dams, canals, highways. Allowed for more scope for private enterprise