The Impact of Military Interventions on Political Ideologies in Turkey: An Analysis Through Elections and Parties
Chapter from the book:
Oktay,
E.
&
Turan,
A.
(eds.)
2023.
Debates on Politics and Ideologies in Turkey on the 100th Anniversary of the Republic.
Synopsis
The military’s direct and undemocratic intervention in the political arena constitutes a highly transformative development that can exert a significant impact on the political system, regime, and actors. When considering the validity of this view in the context of Turkey, it leaves little room for debate. Political ideologies cannot be considered independently from these interventions. Consequently, it can be stated that the aim of this study is to understand the impact of military interventions in the political arena on ideologies in Turkey. To achieve this goal, the study will examine the relationship between the positioning of mainstream ideologies in Turkish politics and military interventions. However, when analyzing the relationship between military interventions and ideologies, the focus has been on the short-term aftermath of the interventions. Ideologies will be examined through the criteria of being in power or in opposition, finding support in the political base or not, and being represented or not represented by political parties, using elections and political parties as the lens. The main claim of the study is that military interventions in Turkish politics highlight or push back ideologies in different factions without establishing a direct cause-and-effect relationship between military interventions and ideologies. Through qualitative research methods and the analysis of secondary sources, the study aims to describe the effects of interventions on ideological life by making specific classifications and categorizations.