Post-Ataturk Governance

Ataturk was the first leader to secularize an Islamic state and society.The success of his reforms demonstrated that “revolution by decree” was possible. In implementing these sweeping changes he had the full backing of the armed forces. The Turkish military came to see itself not only as providing for national defense, but as the principal guardian of the state’s secular order, as protector from domestic threats and internal subversion.

Ataturk governed through the Republican People’s Party (RPP), which continued to dominate Turkish politics after his death in 1938. The Democratic Party (DP), established by those who had broken away from the RPP, was formed after World War II.Once in power, members of the DP began to abandon their political and economic liberalization program, which had found favor at the ballot box. Instead, they introduced central controls similar to those they had found objectionable under the RPP. By 1960, the Democratic-led government had curtailed political liberties, including freedom of speech and press. In response, elements of the military moved against the government. Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was arrested, subsequently found guilty of violating the constitution, and hanged. A new constitution was drafted in 1961 to ensure future governments would not be able to subvert the system to aggrandize authority.