Changes in CHP?s ideological position during the transition from 1946 to 1950

The process of transition from 1946 to 1950 brought about radical transformations in Turkey. Abandoning one-party regime to adopt multiparty regime caused CHP, which was the sole owner of the system during the one-party regime, many troubles. CHP was to commence a great transformation in order to comply with the competitive conditions, which was unorthodox for CHP. Without a shadow of doubt, the best indicator of the CHP?s transformation is its Six Principles. As a result of the opposition?s great pressure and the democratic environment?s constrains, these principles, constituting the ideological ground of CHP, gained quite another aspect than their definitions during the one-party period. Formerly in respect of the populism principle, laying stress on a classless society and ignoring the existing classes, by 1950 CHP however had to determine the classes in its party program and made laws, in which CHP clearly accepted the legitimacy of classes. Republicanism meaning governing the nation from the top, changed so as to refer to serve the nation and the new principle was adopted with a respect in compliance with the democratic basis, and the laws were made accordingly. The nationalism principle was scraped clean from racism and was identified in a more subjective framework. Some concessions were made on secularism principle, which the Kemalist elite persons dwelled upon it, and consequently free exercise of religion developed in the affirmative way. Revolutionism scraped clean of its demolitionist feature and wrapped itself in moderate evolutionist content in dependence with all the principles. There were many changes in Statism principle, constituting the economical policy of CHP, in favor of private sector. Some circles point out CHP as the master builder of the changes made between 1946 and 1950. The idea that CHP abandoned the power it possessed, of its own accord is unacceptable. For this reason CHP was a dependent variable in the process of transition. The most significant portion in the commencement of this process of transition is attributed to the external factors; the component to achieve the dynamics of change is dependent on democratic competitive atmosphere and accordingly the opposition.