Democratic Party (Turkey)
Definition
The Democratic Party (Turkey) (in Turkish: Demokrat Parti, DP) was a political party that governed Turkey from 1950 to 1960. It significantly contributed to the revival and increased visibility of Islam in the public sphere during its decade-long rule.
Etymology
- Democratic Party (Turkey): The English term “Democratic Party” refers to a political organization that adheres to democratic principles.
- Demokrat Parti: This is the Turkish term for the Democratic Party, consisting of “Demokrat,” meaning “democratic,” derived from the Greek “dēmokratía,” and “Parti,” meaning “party,” from the Latin “partium.”
Major Contributions
Religious Reforms and Initiatives
- Arabic Call to Prayer: The DP lifted the previous ban on the call to prayer (adhan) being recited in Arabic. It was previously required to be recited in Turkish by the preceding secular governments.
- Religious Radio Broadcasts: The DP authorized radio broadcasts of religious programs, allowing a broader dissemination of Islamic content to the public.
- Islamic Education: Reintroduced Islamic instruction into the national school curricula, which had been secularized under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s policies.
- Religious Activities: Encouraged a resurgence of religious practices and activities as a way to counterbalance the economic downturn of the 1950s, fostering a greater public engagement with Islam.
Impact on Turkish Society
The Democratic Party’s policies helped facilitate the resurgence of Islam, particularly at the popular level, in Turkey. This was a marked shift from the secularism imposed by the Republican People’s Party (Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi, CHP) during the early years of the Turkish Republic.
Recommended Books for Further Studies
- Islam in Modern Turkey: An Intellectual Biography by Şerif Mardin
- Secularism and State Policies Toward Religion: The United States, France, and Turkey by Ahmet T. Kuru
- Kemalist Turkey and the Middle East: International Relations in the Interwar Period by Jacob M. Landau
Takeaways
- The Democratic Party (DP) played a pivotal role in reintroducing religious practices in public life during their rule from 1950 to 1960.
- The DP’s policies towards Islam contrasted sharply with the secular reforms of the early Turkish Republic.
- Their encouragement of religious activity arguably provided not just spiritual but also social cohesion during economically strained times.
Conclusion
The Democratic Party’s decade-long rule marked a significant shift in the role of Islam in Turkish society. By lifting restrictions on Islamic practices and integrating religious education back into schools, the DP facilitated an Islamic resurgence that had lasting impacts on Turkish culture and politics.
