The one-party period and political understanding in Turkey

The Republican People's Party, established on September 9, 1923 as the first political party of the Republic of Turkey, remained in power as a one-party government during the period between 1923 and 1945. During this era, known as the "one-party period" in Turkish politics, the Republican People's Party, being a political party with a predominantly reformist orientation, had an impact on the shaping of the current political culture in Turkey. Following the proclamation of the Republic, various changes were implemented in order to construct a state capable of ensuring the regime's stability while also fulfilling the requirements of the time. As such, the Republic of Turkey inherited the bureaucratic, economic and social structure of the Ottoman Empire. There have also been attempts to bring the one-party regime to an end during this process. However, attempts to switch to a multi-party system of government failed, and the political parties established did not stay in power for long. Meanwhile, the one-party regime was regarded as a transient phase that emerged due to certain necessities. The time period in question is critical not only for the operation of the one-party regime, but also for the country's development and transformation, as well as the establishment of a new political regime and way of life. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the one-party period in its entirety and in the context of historical evolution from many aspects and explore the basic dynamics of the period, the understanding of politics, the modernization process and thus the transformation of the Republic of Turkey. A literature review was conducted within the scope of the study. It is argued in this study that the Republican People's Party, founded to elevate the country to the level of contemporary civilization, undertook serious transformations in many areas during the one-party period by moving in accordance with the spirit of the time and taking rationalism and scientificity as a basis.