The election of women represantatives in one party period (1923-1946)

Contrary to the widespread perception, women have struggled for their rights inTurkey. Women?s movement has begun to take its ground for the first time in theperiod of Tanzimat, transformed into an organized movement in the SecondConstitutional period and gained impetus in the republic of Turkey. In this period,constitutive power, with the aim of creating a class and privilege free society due toits ideological perceptions prevented any social distinctions and has not permitwomen to struggle for their rights. It has evaluated women?s efforts for their social,economic and political rights untimely and suppressed women?s movements bypromising to give the mentioned rights when it is convenient.Depending on the differentiation between the rate of women representatives inparliamentary during One Party period (%4) and Multi-party period (less than %4),this thesis concludes that two-round election system has affected the relatively higherrate in the former period. It also concludes that women were adhered as the symbolof democracy and modernization. Two-round election system that is at odds with ademocratic election system has not faced first women representatives with a notionof competition. Therefore, they also could not take active part in the parliamentarydiscussions; with respect to their elitist characteristics, they could not deeply engagein the problems of the women and country.This thesis consists of three chapters: the first chapter dwells upon women?smovements in Turkey before and after the declaration of independence. Here, themain intention is to put forth the emergence and acquisitions of women?s movements.Second chapter examines the general political features of the One Party periodbetween 1923 and 1946; namely its establishment, development, ideology andelection system. Third chapter analyzes the biographical characteristics andparliamentary actions of the first women representatives.