Social and cultural practices of Sümerbank Textile Factories founded within the framework of the First Industrial Plan (1935-1950)

When the specific circumstances of Turkey, who targeted economic development as her main aim, coincided with the 1929 Great Economic Crisis, statism, the economic principle of the Turkish Republic was put into practice. Within the framework of this principle the state undertook an entrepreneurial role in connection with the investments exceeding the capacity of private enterprize, in order to promote industrialization which is one of the main components of economic development. For this purpose, primarily Sümerbank, so named by Atatürk himself, was founded on 3 June 1933. Next, Sümerbank was given the mission of putting into practice the investments designated by the First Five-Year Industrial Plan which was drawn up subsequent to founding Sümerbank. In a short time, factories in various places of the country named "combines" played a key role in the development of Turkey. These factories, on the other hand, became solution bases for serious problems such as permanent employment and labour turnover. Within this context, in order to satisfy the basic needs of the workers and to provide for their cultural and technical development, a comprehensive policy was pursued by establishing various cultural and social institutions on factory premises. The social aspect comprised health care, accommodation, provision of food and clothing, retirement benefits and also schools and kindergartens for the children of the workers, while the cultural aspect included education, theatres and cinema, libraries, sporting facilities. The facilities provided by these factories for their employees, and the aid they extended in connection with workers' basic needs was extremely meaningful especially under the meagre circumstances of World War II which bordered on the level of famine. This policy not only proved successful in the long run, to win the employees' loyalty for their employer, but also provided a positive example for labour value and workers' welfare within the context of labour life. Consequently, these factories were not only economic and commercial enterprises, they also turned into social and cultural institutions beneficial to workers and even to all the people living in the region.