Abstract

This article examines the process of development of the political left since its inception in Turkey in a context when the republic was established as a nation state and 1917 October Revolution. It looks at how the movement has been transformed with the collapse of the Soviet Union and with the changes in domestic politics. The historical process of the Turkish left is divided into three eras: The first from the beginning of the republic to the 1960s; the second from 1960 to 1980; and the third from 1980 to the present day. In this era, the left has not had that organized structure and influence as in the second era.

Highlights

  • The origins of left-wing politics and the popularity of the word “socialism” in Turkey date back to the late nineteenth century

  • The formation of an Ottoman left under the influence of Ottoman intellectuals, most of whom were in close contact with the non-Muslim people and westerners, grew with the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia

  • The social democracy trend starting with the Republican People’s Party (RPP) in the 1960s grew into a nationalist populism centering on national development after the 1970s, due to developments such as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the emergence of Arab nationalism, the disturbances due to US influence on Turkey and the anti-American rhetoric, the Cuban missile crisis, the 1960 U-2 spy incident, and especially the coincidence of the Cyprus issue with other international events

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Summary

Introduction

The origins of left-wing politics and the popularity of the word “socialism” in Turkey date back to the late nineteenth century.

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