Internal migration policies of governments in Türkiye (1923-1960)

The phenomenon of migration, which has a history as old as the history of humanity, has had important effects on the establishment, development and collapse of great states in history. The Republic of Türkiye, which emerged on the Anatolian geography with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, started to coming out as a result of the internal and external migration events it faced during the establishment period. Immigration, which had a great impact on the establishment of the state, increased its influence in the on going process and played an important role in determining the political, economic and cultural policies within the country for many years. With 20th century, the need for manpower for the military element, which will ensure both supplying production to economic progress and the strengthening of the army, has caused the population phenomenon to come to the front. The young Turkish State, acting within the framework of the idea that if a country is strong economically and militarily, it will also be strong politically, has pursued the return of the Turks outside the country to their homeland by following policies that will increase its population. The newly established nation-state aimed to create a homogeneous community based on Turkish culture, and the view of the new state on immigration and settlement events was in line with this goal. In the last two (1926, 1934) of three of the laws (1923, 1926, 1934) enacted in the Republican Period, the main determining factor of immigration and settlement practices was the Turkish race and Turkish culture. In all the immigration and settlement practices that took place, it was welcomed migrate to Anatolia warmly to Turks in foreign countries, who were connected to the Turkish culture or could adapt to the homogeneous society that was wanted to be created, and would adopt this culture. Immigrants who came from abroad in the process of resettlement, it was acted with the thought of where they could provide better services to the Turkish economy. Also, it was prefered places had similar climatic characteristics and living conditions, immigrants came from, so that they didn't have adaptation problems. In the first years of the Republic, apart from the resettlement of immigrants from abroad also various migration practices were carried out within the country. In these migration movements, which took place due to political, economic and security-oriented factors but there were generally involuntary factors. Between 1923-1960, there were Kurds, Gypsies, nomads and people who were damaged due to natural disasters among the elements that changed their place within the country. While Kurds and Gypsies were subject to displacement because they didn't have Turkish culture and they didn't strive for it, tribes, nomads and Yörüks were subject to displacement due to encouragement of settled life and security. The main factor in determining the internal migration policies implemented during the CHP governments that served between 1923 and 1950 was the provision of the borders of the newly established state and the security and public order within the country. The basis of internal migration policies during the DP governments that served between 1950-1960 was the efforts to realize economic development. The most obvious similar aspect of the internal migration policies between the two periods was the desire to ensure the central authority. Both the immigrants coming from abroad and the people who were relocated within the country were not allowed to disturb the order and these people were immigrated to other places when necessary.