Neoliberalism in Türkiye after 12 September in the framework of Özal's discourse

The 1980s witnessed significant changes throughout the world. Turkey has also had its share of this transformation. As a result of the change of government through a military coup d'état, the closure of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, the suspension of the Constitution and the assumption of legislative authority by the National Security Council consisting of force commanders, a transformation was initiated that could not be realised by the society's own internal dynamics. A constitution containing institutions in line with the new understanding was prepared in order to make the system permanent. The most important factor in the establishment of the new order was the acceptance of the neoliberal economic approach and the rapid adoption of measures in line with the demands of the capitalist West. Within this framework, Turgut Özal, the undersecretary of the prime ministry at the time, was called to duty and appointed as the deputy prime minister in charge of the economy in order to ensure that the decisions of 24 January 1980 continued to be implemented. Having entered the political scene in this way, Özal participated in the 1983 elections with the Motherland Party, which he founded, and succeeded in forming a government by gaining a majority in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. With his conservative identity and the influence of his economics education in the USA, he was the perfect fit for the neoliberal transformation. Neoliberalism, which coincided with his world view and economic thought, was rapidly established in the country under Özal's rule. Özal's difference from other technocrats and politicians was that he was not only a figure who took and implemented decisions, but also, with the effect of his charismatic personality and the professional support he received in public relations, he played an important role in breaking down the patterns that had been formed in the society until then and in establishing the codes of the new order. With his relations with the press, his attitudes, words and behaviours in his meetings with the public outside of political activities, Özal has taken his place in history as the founder of neoliberalism in Turkey and almost as its advertising face.