The 1961 referendum on the new constitution was the first referendum held in the history of the Turkish republic. However, no deeper analysis of this phenomenon has been conducted in the English-language academic literature. This paper undertakes that objective. The new constitution was drafted and adopted under anti-democratic conditions. The post-coup era was a missed opportunity for instituting a stronger democracy. The referendum was the last nationwide vote in which traditional actors played significant roles in determining voting behavior. The notables and major landowners of the under-developed provinces led the masses to vote in favor of the new constitution. Starting in 1965, politics in Turkey became ideology-centered and class-oriented, thus causing the influence of traditional actors to diminish. Although the campaign for votes to support the referendum dominated the political scene in 1961, the electorate showed its distance from the coup anyway.
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Açıkel Fethi. (2006) “Entegratif toplum ve muarızları: “Merkez-çevre’ paradigması üzerine eleştirel notlar” Toplum ve Bilim 105: 30–69.
Ahmad Feroz (1977). Turkish Experiment in Democracy 1950–1975. London: Westview Press.
Akgün Seçil Karal (2009). 27 Mayıs: Bir Ihtilal, Bir Devrim, Bir Anayasa.Ankara: ODTÜ Yayıncılık.
Aydemir Şevket Süreyya (1993). İhtilalin Mantığı ve 27 Mayıs İhtilali. İstanbul: Remzi Kitabevi.
Aydın, Suavi. (2006) “Paradigmada tarihsel toplumun sınırları: Merkez çevre temellendirmeleri üzerine düşünceler” Toplum ve Bilim 105: 70–95.
CHP (1960). CHP’nin Anayasa Komisyonu’nun Anketine Cevabı. Ankara: CHP Araştırma ve Yayın Bürosu.
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İpekçi Abdi, , and Coşar Ömer Sami (1965). İhtilâlin İçyüzü. İstanbul: Uygun Yayınevi.
Karakartal Bener (1984). “ Bir Siyasal Katılma Türü Olarak Referandum ve 1961 Türk Anayasa Referandumu.” İktisat Fakültesi Mecmuası 38: 161–180.
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Kili Suna, (1998). “1961 Anayasası ve Devlet Anlayışı.” In 27 Mayıs 1960 Devrimi, Kurucu Meclis ve 1961 Anayasası, edited by Suna Kili, 51–70. Milliyet, May–June 1961. İstanbul: Boyut Kitapları.
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Mardin, Şerif. (1973) “Center-Periphery Relations: A Key To Turkish Politics?” Daedalus 102: 169–190.
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Pulur Hasan (11 July 1961). “İşte O Yalan Bu Gerçek,” Milliyet.
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Şerif Mardin, “Center-Periphery Relations: A Key To Turkish Politics?” Daedalus 102 (1973): 169–190. After Mardin’s article, a rich literature on center-periphery emerged throughout the years. The journal of Toplum ve Bilim devoted its 105th issue to the center-periphery approach. Three of the articles should be noted from this special volume: Fethi Açıkel, “Entegratif toplum ve muarızları: “Merkez-çevre’ paradigması üzerine eleştirel notlar” Toplum ve Bilim 105 (2006): 30–69; Suavi Aydın, “Paradigmada tarihsel toplumun sınırları: Merkez çevre temellendirmeleri üzerine düşünceler” Toplum ve Bilim 105 (2006): 70–95; Levent Gönenç, “2000’li yıllarda merkez-çevre ilişkilerini yeniden düşünmek” Toplum ve Bilim 105 (2006): 129–152.
Hasan Pulur, “İşte O Yalan Bu Gerçek” Milliyet, July 11, 1961.
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The 1961 referendum on the new constitution was the first referendum held in the history of the Turkish republic. However, no deeper analysis of this phenomenon has been conducted in the English-language academic literature. This paper undertakes that objective. The new constitution was drafted and adopted under anti-democratic conditions. The post-coup era was a missed opportunity for instituting a stronger democracy. The referendum was the last nationwide vote in which traditional actors played significant roles in determining voting behavior. The notables and major landowners of the under-developed provinces led the masses to vote in favor of the new constitution. Starting in 1965, politics in Turkey became ideology-centered and class-oriented, thus causing the influence of traditional actors to diminish. Although the campaign for votes to support the referendum dominated the political scene in 1961, the electorate showed its distance from the coup anyway.
All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 503 | 58 | 5 |
Full Text Views | 206 | 1 | 0 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 42 | 5 | 0 |