Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi’nde Politik Dönüşüm (1950-1969)

Abstract

This thesis examines the period from the pivotal 14 May 1950 elections to the 12 October 1969 general elections in Turkey’s political history, focusing on the ideological and political transformation of the Republican People’s Party (CHP). Centering on the party’s "Left of Center" (Ortanın Solu) discourse, the study explores intra-party factional struggles, reactions from both the socialist left and the center-right, and analyzes these developments within the context of the era’s bipolar political system. It evaluates the post1960 constitutional drafting process, the policies of the party under the leadership of İsmet İnönü, and Bülent Ecevit’s formulation of the "Left of Center" discourse. Using discourse analysis as its primary method, the thesis investigates the ideological divergences within the CHP, the transformations experienced within the party, and the broader effects of these changes on Turkish politics. Based on archival documents, memoirs, contemporary newspapers, and academic literature, this study aims to understand the CHP’s ideological trajectory up to the 1969 general elections and to shed light on the unique political dynamics of the period.