Military Coups and Turkish Democracy, 1960–1980
2011; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 12; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/14683849.2011.573181
ISSN1743-9663
Autores Tópico(s)Historical and Contemporary Political Dynamics
ResumoAbstract In 1921, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk enunciated an important verity.Footnote 1 He proclaimed, “We resemble ourselves.” Nowhere is that more true than in regard to the Turkish military's role in politics. As many have pointed out, the Turkish armed forces have not behaved as a South American model might have suggested. Nor have they acted as Middle Eastern or North African military establishments would have. Instead the institution has taken a course consistent with Turkey's history and culture. Notes T.B.M.M. Zabit Ceridesi (Ankara: T.B.M.M. Matbaasi, 1958), Devre 1, Ictima 2, vol. 14, p. 428. The coup appeared to be welcomed by the populace at large because it relieved the great political tension that had grown up in the weeks before the military moved. However, this author was told by a senior Republican politician at the time that that party's leadership, far from welcoming the coup, believed that it had been robbed of power that it would have garnered if only elections and not a coup had taken place. From the very first day the RPP top leaders, in particular İnönü, believed their main task would be to ease the military out of power. İnönü clearly was hoping that Tulga would elicit strong American disapproval of another Turkish military coup to use in discouraging plotting against his government. Demirel, in explaining why he did not act more forcefully, told President Sunay that if his government took harsh steps it could provoke a revolution. See Muhsin Batur, Anılar ve Gğrüşler: Üç Dönemin Perde Arkası (İstanbul: Milliyet Yayınlari, 1985), pp. 183–5. For the text of the ultimatum see, Cumhuriyetin 75 Yılı, Cilt 2, 1954–1978 (Istanbul: YKY, 1998), p. 638. Hürriyet (Istanbul daily), April 27, 1971. General Secretariat of the National Security Council, 12 September in Turkey: Before and After (Ankara: Ongun Kardeşler Printing House, 1982), pp. 211, 215–17; also Milliyet, September 7, 1980. The author was present when Ecevit spoke to a group attending a conference on Turkey in 1982. Ecevit expected, however, that effect to wear off relatively quickly thereafter.
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