The Army and the Radical Left in Turkey: Military Coups, Socialist Revolution and Kemalism (Library of Modern Middle East Studies)

In 1960s Turkey, the armed forces and the radical leftist movement provided two very dynamic, but very different, political forces. Yet, somewhat surprisingly, the majority of radical leftists in this period believed in the revolutionary potential of the armed forces in overthrowing the existing regime and replacing it with a quasi-socialist one. Covering the time between the two successful military interventions of 1960 and 1971, The Army and the Radical Left in Turkey considers the changing perspectives of the radical leftist movement towards the political role of the military in Turkey in this period. The democratic reforms which followed the 1960 coup allowed leftist groups to operate legally for the first time, and as a result, Marxist or quasi-Marxist groups expanded and diversified enormously in the years that followed. But one of the significant problems faced by the leftist movement in the 1960s was factionalisation and the issue of why the left could not maintain unity in Turkey during this period. Ulus argues here that differing and opposing attitudes towards the armed forces within the leftist movement was one of the key causes of factionalisation – and that these differences became even more noticeable towards the end of the 1960s. Examining the development of the leftist movement, its understanding of Kemalism, as well as the discourses and actions of the different leftist groups, including the Communist Party of Turkey and the Workers' Party of Turkey, Ulus analyses the political thought and organisational structures of these groups. She thereby shows why some leftists chose to encourage a military revolution, which they hoped would bring about the triumph of socialism in Turkey, but instead led to their downfall. As the 1960s ended with the radical left in disarray, this book will be invaluable for researches of the parties of the left across the Middle East, as well as scholars of modern Turkish history and politics. "Few states in the modern world have had a less promising birth than Jordan. When in 1921 the Hashemite Emir Abdallah was recognized as the ruler of this romantic backwater of the former Ottoman Empire, it was sparsely populated, extremely poor, and widely regarded as ungovernable. Today against all the odds, Jordan has become one of the most prosperous and stable of Middle Eastern countries and a major player in the region's politics. In this political history, Kamal Salibi attempts to explain how this transformation was achieved. The book traces the story of modern Jordan from its origins in the Arab revolt at the end of World War I and the political success of the astute and colourful founder of its ruling dynasty. It includes a detailed examination of the far-reaching implications for Jordan of the Palestinian tragedy and a constantly tense relationship with neighbouring Israel and it shows how King Hussein, the longest surviving ruler in the contemporary Middle East, has guided the country through these difficult times to introduce democracy in 1988."--Bloomsbury publishing. In 1960s Turkey, the armed forces and the radical leftist movement provided two very dynamic, but very different, political forces. However, somewhat surprisingly, the majority of radical leftists believed in the revolutionary potential of the armed forces in overthrowing the current regime and replacing it with a quasi-socialist one. This book considers the changing perspectives of the radical leftist movement towards the political role of the military in Turkey. Using a textual analysis of different leftist groups, including the Communist Party of Turkey, Özgür Mutlu Ulus describes the development of the leftist movement in Turkey after the 1960 coup and explains why most leftists chose to encourage a military revolution, which they hoped would bring about the triumph of socialism in Turkey. In 1960s Turkey, the armed forces and the radical leftist movement provided two very dynamic, but very different, political forces. However, somewhat surprisingly, the majority of radical leftists believed in the revolutionary potential of the armed forces in overthrowing the current regime and replacing it with a quasi-socialist one. This book considers the changing perspectives of the radical leftist movement towards the political role of the military in Turkey. Using a textual analysis of different leftist groups, including the Communist Party of Turkey, Ozgur Mutlu Ulus describes the development of the leftist movement in Turkey after the 1960 coup and explains why most leftists chose to encourage a military revolution, which they hoped would bring about the triumph of socialism in Turkey. 1. Introduction -- 2. The Turkish Military In Politics -- 3. Between Kemalism And Third Word Developmentalism: Dog̈an Avcioğlu -- 4. Revolution Through The Narrow Door -- 5. The Workers' Party Of Turkey: The Long Road To Socialism -- 6. The National Democratic Revolutionaries And Their Attitudes Towards The Army -- 7. The Voice Of The Tkp From Abroad -- The Kivilcimli Movement In Search Of The Turkish Past For A Revolutionary Warrior Culture -- 9. Conclusion. Özgür Mutlu Ulus. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [249]-260) And Index. This book considers the changing perspectives of the radical leftist movement towards the political role of the military in Turkey. Using a textual analysis of leftist groups, the author describes the development of the leftist movement in Turkey after the 1960 coup and explains why most leftists chose to encourage a military revolution