Mardin during Republican Period (1923-1960)

In spite of the fact that the endeavors for the establishment of the modern state and modern society in Türkiye started in the 1920s, they started to intensify mainly by the early 1930s. Since the foundation of the Republic until the early 1930s, no major transformation was available in Mardin regarding the modernization of urban life. The most substantial setback that caused the modernization process to proceed slowly was the insufficiency of budget. The most important issues in these years have been the problem of smuggling at the border, the prevalence of infectious diseases and thirst. The installation of waterworks in Mardin was only incrementally possible until the late 1950s and at various dates. Due to the high number of livestock raising and husbandry in the Mardin region, it was possible for infectious diseases to spread across Türkiye. Mardin Serum Laboratory has been established in 1926 for the purpose of responding to diseases immediately. Moreover, articles on the prevention of infectious diseases were included to the conventions concluded with Syria. Thus, epidemics that would have been spread throughout Türkiye have been prevented accordingly. Since the province of Mardin has served as a border and security center, it was a region where state authority and control have intensively been executed. Some of its governors also served as mayors. The governors had the authority to take seat in the Türkiye-Syria and Türkiye-Iraq Commissions convening on the matters such as border security and prevention of smuggling. The governors have also supported the endeavors of the National Schools, Turkish Hearths, Community Centers and Societies for the Dissemination of the Turkish Language for the purpose of increasing the literacy level of the people. The sectors that had the most impact on Mardin's production and export capacity were agriculture, livestock raising and husbandry. These productions, having a significant contribution to the country's economy, have been provided with the state support and the activities performed there have been supervised by Ankara. Productions have also been carried out in the fields of weaving, jewelry, filigree (silver embroidery), stone carving, etc. The modernization and production movements started in the 1930s in the province of Mardin have been effective as of the 1950s. Keywords: History of the Republic of Türkiye, Urban History, Mardin, Modernization, Urbanization.