The Culture of Forming Political Parties in Turkey from the Perspective of Democratic Development
Begüm Mutlu, Mehmet Can TokmakIn order to maintain a democratic environment in a country, it is necessary to foster an election culture and establish political parties. Political parties, with their diverse ideologies, ideas, and perspectives, aim to govern society as a government and carry out activities in line with their programs. Consequently, the outcomes of political elections hold significant importance in terms of democratization. In this study, many data such as the political parties established in Turkey, the date they were opened, if they were closed, why they were closed, their ideologies and the number of members of active political parties in the 100-year period between 1923, when the Republic of Turkey was founded, and the present day in 2023, were extracted. This century-long period has been categorized into five distinct epochs in accordance with social and political conditions. During these periods – 1923-1945, 1945-1960, 1960 1980, 1980- 2000, and the post-2000 era – elections and social processes have been meticulously scrutinized. Specifically, this study delves into the impact of coup periods on the democratic process and the evolution of political perspectives before and after these coups. When the ideological approaches of political parties are examined, it is determined that they have many different perspectives, and this is of great importance in terms of broad representation of the public. It is evident that 410 different political parties were established in Turkey during this 100-year period, with 132 political parties currently active. The ideological diversity among these political parties is remarkable, highlighting the existence of parties with a wide range of ideologies.
Demokratik Gelişim Perspektifinden Türkiye’de Siyasal Partileşme Kültürü
Begüm Mutlu, Mehmet Can TokmakBir ülkedeki demokratik ortamın sürdürülmesi için seçim kültürünün oluşturulması ve siyasal partileşmenin gerçekleştirilmesi gerekmektedir. Birbirinden farklı birçok ideolojiye, fikre ve bakış açısına sahip olan siyasal partiler, iktidar olarak toplumu yönetmek ve programlarına uygun olarak çalışmalar yapmayı amaçlamaktadırlar. Bu açıdan demokratikleşme sürecinde siyasi seçimlerde elde edilen sonuçlar büyük önem taşımaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti’nin kurulduğu tarihten günümüze kadarki 100 yıllık süreçte kurulan siyasal partilerin hangi tarihte açıldığı, kapatıldıysa neden kapatıldığı, ideolojileri ve aktif siyasal partilerin üye sayıları gibi ülkenin siyasal partileşme refleksine ilişkin birçok sorgulama gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu bağlamda elde edilen veriler, nitel bir araştırma tekniği olarak betimsel analize tabii tutulmuştur. Belirlenen bu 100 yıllık süreç, yaşanılan toplumsal ve siyasal koşullara uygun olarak beş farklı döneme ayrılmıştır. 1923-1945, 1945-1960, 1960-1980, 1980- 2000 ve 2000 sonrası dönem olarak kesitlenen bu süreçte, gerçekleştirilen seçimler ve toplumsal süreçleri detaylı bir şekilde irdelenmiştir. Demokratik sürece zarar veren darbe dönemleri, bu darbeler öncesinde ve sonrasında yaşanılan siyasal süreç ve üretilen politikalar üzerinde özellikle durulmuştur. Siyasal partilerin ideolojik yaklaşımları incelendiğinde birçok farklı bakış açısına sahip oldukları görülmüştür. Elbette ilk bakışta bu durum halkın geniş bir şekilde temsili açısından büyük öneme sahiptir. İrdelenen 100 yıllık süreçte Türkiye’de 410 farklı siyasal partinin kurulduğu, günümüzde ise 132 siyasal partinin aktif olarak çalışmalar yürüttüğü tespit edilmiştir. İnceleme sonucunda bütüncül bakıldığında, ilk etapta siyasal partilerin ideolojik yaklaşımlarında tespit edilen çeşitlilik siyasal modernleşme açısından temsilde adaleti simgeler görülmüş, ancak bu durum işlevselliği açısından sorgulamaya tabi bulunmuştur.
In societies built upon the principles of democracy, it is of critical importance to ensure the perpetuation of this concept. This involves protecting the freedoms and independent lives of individuals, maintaining the continuity of political processes, the system, and thestate, determining powers fairly, and running the system fairly. One of the crucial elements in ensuring democracy is the political life within the society we inhabit. Elections serve as the foundation for maintaining a balanced, fair, and representative political landscape that mirrors the will of the people. The fact that the governed people determine their administrators is a guarantee of representation and participation in democratic environments. In democracies, it is impossible for any individual or group to seize and maintain power through force, as elections are conducted, and authority is determined based on the preferences of the people.
In environments where elections are held, the significance of political parties, their structures, and their ideologies becomes prominent. The choices made by the public during the electoral process are often linked to a political party’s promises, beliefs, and the societal changes it seeks to enact. Political parties are organizations formed to address societal issues by uniting individuals with similar ideas and responses to challenges. Every political party aims to gain power by gaining the support of the people in the environment in which they exist, and to create a better society in accordance with their own ideologies and ideas by realizing the plans and programs they want to make.
Within the scope of the study, the elections and political parties held in Turkey in the 100-year period from 1923, the year the Republic of Turkey was founded, to the present day (2023) were examined. The past century of Turkish political life can be clearly delineated into several distinct periods marked by significant social and political events. These periods as; 1923-1945 Single Party Period and the Establishment of Parties, 1945-1960 First Multi- Party Period, 1960-1980 Second Multi-Party Period after the coup on 27 May 1960, 1980- 2000 Third Multi-Party Period after the 12 September 1980 coup and the recent period. It is possible to talk about five different periods as the New Period after 2000.
Examining Turkey’s political landscape from 1923 to 1945, it becomes evident that the establishment of the Republic of Turkey and the shift to a new administrative framework required a considerable adjustment period for the populace to embrace these changes and align their behaviors with the innovations. Although various parties tried to be established during this period, only the CHP continued its existence and a single-party period was experienced. In the pursuit of fostering a democratic environment, Turkey underwent a transition to a multi-party system after 1945. The Democratic Party assumed power in 1950 and remained in government until the coup of 1960.
The 1960-1980 period, which is the third period in Turkish political life, appears as a democratically complex process in which the system is not fully established. Due to limitations on the activities of existing political parties, many of them opted to change their names and contested elections under new identities until the elections in 1961. The period from 1960 to 1980, constituting the third phase in Turkish political history, stands out as a period of democratic complexity where the system had not yet fully solidified. A critical social juncture within this era occurred between 1970 and 1980, marked by the growth of workers’ rights and unionization. In this period of social violence, the people were divided into right and left and armed actions took place. During this period of five elections, social and political chaos and troubles were experienced, which damaged the democratization process.
During the fourth phase of Turkish political history, spanning from 1980 to 2000, the country experienced its second military coup on September 12, 1980, in response to escalating social violence and chaos. As a result, all parties were closed and political party leaders were removed from politics. Five elections were held between 1980 and 2000, and permanent coalition governments were formed after the 1983 and 1987 elections won by ANAP. The fifth and current period in Turkish political history, which began in 2000, saw the establishment of 212 out of the 410 political parties in Turkey’s political history. In this period, when the most political parties were established, the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) stands out. The political party, which managed to come to power alone in all elections held since 2002, shaped the period. In light of these examinations and research, it is evident that significant strides have been taken towards establishing and fostering a democratic environment since the inception of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. The establishment and efforts of political parties to attain representation have played a crucial role in this process.
