اليمين التركي دراسة في آثاره السياسية والاقتصادية 1961-1980

The Turkish Right: A Study of its Political and Economic Effects (1961-1980)

The history of modern and contemporary Turkey represents a rich stage filled with historical events and fertile ground for research, study, and analysis. Due to its strategic and geographically unique location, Turkey has had a significant impact on shaping overall regional and international situations. This has attracted the interest of many historians, writers, and researchers, especially during the 1960s and 1970s. This period witnessed important political developments, significant economic challenges, and sharp ideological and intellectual conflicts fueled by external and international influences. Right-wing forces played a central and pivotal role in shaping and steering events during this time, making it a worthy subject for research, study, and analysis. Despite the efforts of several researchers and writers in studying significant aspects of this period, there is still much that needs to be explored and analyzed.

This study, titled “The Turkish Right: A Study of its Political and Economic Impacts (1961-1980),” attempts a modest analytical step to examine the effects of right-wing forces during this critical phase of Turkey’s contemporary history. The study’s timeframe is framed by two significant events: the issuance of the 1961 Constitution, which allowed for some political freedom following the coup of May 27, 1960, and the end of the second republic era after the military coup on September 12, 1980, which marked the beginning of a new phase in Turkish history. The study employs a historical method based on the chronological sequence of events while considering the unity of the subject.

The study aims to identify the characteristics, tendencies, and orientations of Turkish right-wing forces and their impact on political and economic realities during the specified period. To understand and follow this issue, several logical questions must be posed and answered within the study, such as: When did the concept of the right emerge in Turkey both terminologically and practically? Is right-wing thought a product of purely Turkish philosophies rooted in the depth of Turkish cultural heritage, or is it influenced by the philosophies and experiences of others? Did the forces adopting right-wing thought rely on a single philosophy and ideology, or did each party and force have its own philosophy and ideology? Did the right-wing forces succeed in managing Turkey’s political power during this period, and what was the extent of their influence on the political struggle of that period? What was their impact on the Turkish economy during this time? Did external factors influence the internal orientations of right-wing forces?

The study shows that the term ‘right’ did not clearly emerge in Turkey until the 1960s, despite the Republic of Turkey having been established for nearly forty years. This delay was due to the policies of the Republican People’s Party, which ruled the country unilaterally and did not allow any party or individual to express their opinion. However, this does not mean that Turkish society was devoid of right-wing conservative ideas or ideologies, which began to surface in the mid-1940s after the establishment of political parties, including the Democratic Party, considered the pioneer of right-wing parties and movements in Turkish history. Nonetheless, the term ‘right’ became prominent only after the coup of May 27, 1960, as the openness of the 1961 Constitution allowed the establishment of the leftist Workers’ Party of Turkey. The term ‘right’ was then used as a reaction to the official establishment of a leftist party. The right-wing ideas that entered the Turkish arena were not extensions of authentic Turkish culture and heritage, as most movements that adopted right-wing thought were based on the ideas of European philosophers and thinkers. Only a few groups adhered to conservative Islamic thought, which is classified as a branch of conservative right-wing thought. The Turkish right was not based on a theory or thesis from a Turkish thinker or philosopher but was built on various and diverse ideas and theories that often conflicted with the nature and tendencies of Turkish society.