Turkey in 1945–1946 facing the dilemma of choice: democracy or authoritarianism?

Abstract

Scholarly interest in the history of Turkey is driven by historical, political, legal, and socio-cultural transformations. The historical interconnection between the state-building processes of Ukraine and Turkey dates back to the Middle Ages. In the modern period, both countries, each in its own way, underwent a transition from authoritarianism/totalitarianism to democracy. In this regard, the period of 1945–1946 is of particular scientific interest, as it witnessed the processes that determined the transformation of the state structure and political system of the Turkish Republic, established by the Turkish elite in the 1920s. Scientific novelty. The novelty of the study lies in the analysis of a broad body of previously understudied primary sources, including the parliamentary minutes of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey from 1944–1946, party platforms of the Republican People’s Party and the Democratic Party, and public speeches by İsmet İnönü. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of the subjective factor's influence on the restructuring of Turkey's political landscape during the period under study. Purpose. The purpose of the research is to reveal the preconditions, causes, and peculiarities of the restructuring of Turkey's political system in 1945–1946, as well as to analyze the evolution of İsmet İnönü's attitude—as President and leader of the ruling party—toward the transition to a multi-party system. Conclusions. The findings indicate that 1946 marked a radical shift in the party-political system of the Turkish Republic. The transition to multi-party pluralism unfolded against the backdrop of global geopolitical transformations and the emerging bipolar world order. Turkey's desire to align with the alliance of Western democratic nations (the United States and Western Europe) served as a major external catalyst for domestic political reform. The second driver was the pressing need for internal socioeconomic reforms. The third factor was subjective: the personal stance of the head of state, İsmet İnönü, who supported the democratization of public life through multi-party elections. The Democratic Party emerged as the principal opposition to the ruling Republican People’s Party, eventually securing a parliamentary majority in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey four years later.