Fighting with the Modern Plague: Temperance Movement, Degeneration and Education in Early Republican Türkiye

Abstract

The temperance movement, which emerged in the 19th century with a scientific foundation, and the degeneration discourse found a place in the Ottoman Empire nearly simultaneously with Europe. The influence of doctors educated in Europe played a pivotal role in this process. While the temperance movement and the discourse on degeneration swiftly integrated into the Ottoman Empire's educational system, they assumed a more radical form in the Republic of Turkey. This study explores how the temperance movement and the degeneration discourse were incorporated into Turkey's education system during the single-party period. Commencing from the early years of the Republic's establishment, the Hilâl-i Ahdar Society, alongside a cadre of distinguished psychiatrists affiliated with the society, assumes a leading role in initiatives aimed at imparting anti-alcohol education to the youth. It has been seen that degeneration is addressed from two perspectives, especially in textbooks and magazines for the youth: biological and social. Biological degeneration was rooted in the belief that alcohol use would lead to a corrupt race. On the other hand, social degeneration viewed alcohol use as a problem capable of causing societal disarray, economic instability, and moral decay. In both dimensions, a connection was established between the anti-alcohol movement, the country's population policy, and notions of patriotism in the educational system.