Propaganda in the Turkish press election Period, 1950-1957

The first purpose of this study named ?Propaganda in the Turkish Press Election Period, 1950-1957" is to present general electioneering in Turkey between 1950-1954 and in 1957 objectively. Therefore the study is based on political rhetoric during that time. Another purpose is to shed light on propaganda methods of political parties and effects of these methods on electors during the electorial campaigns. The achievement of the public opinion in political manipulation and similarities of political propagandas to today?s.Newspapers of the said time were used in this study. Political propaganda in these newspapers reflects political view of the press. The biased position of the press about political claims and affairs necessitated benefiting from original works. In addition to them, documents about political propaganda from the Republican Archives of the Prime Ministry and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey are aslo important, since they present propaganda methods and confirm political rhetoric in the newspapers.This study is divided into 3 chapters. Effect of liberalization as a result of good relations between the United States of America governed by democracy on reforms and political rhetoric before the 1950 elections is handled in the first chapter. In the second and third chapters, the Democrat Party?s (DP) practices after winning the 1950 elections and changing relations and political rhetoric of the government and opposition during that time are dealt.In conclusion, this study clearly shows contradiction between political rhetoric and practice of the RPP and the DP. Allthough two parties seem to be opposite to each other within the government-opposition conflict, there are similarities between the RPP and DP while they were in power or opposition. For example, the RPP which tried to pass off the opposition parties? ?democracy? demands by putting forward various excues before the 1950 elections began to defend that opinion when it was overthrown. The DP accussing the RPP and İnonu of being ?dictator? and seeing itself as ?hero of democracy? had already changed from the beginning of its own era. Despite the fact that it criticized one party system the DP?s objection to democratic demands deepened the opposition of the press and political parties. Both the press and opposition had begun to accuse the Prime Minister Menderes of being inclined to ?dictatorship?. The DP had made the RPP ?hero of democracy?, while it had come under ?dictatorship? criticism.