Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey
Encyclopedia
Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey (in Turkish
: Türkiye Devrimci Komünist Partisi) is a clandestine communist party
in Turkey
. TDKP considers itself to be the continuation of the People's Liberation Army of Turkey
(in Turkish
: Türkiye Halk Kurtuluş Ordusu, THKO). The THKO Conference gathered in October 1978. It changed the name of the organisation to that of Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey - Construction Organisation (TDKP-İÖ short for İnşa Örgütü). The split with the pro-Soviet line of the THKO, called Mücadelede Birlik ('Unity in Struggle') in 1974 is also shown as its roots. Between 1976 and 1979 the followers of THKO gathered around a legal publication called Halkın Kurtuluşu (People's Liberation) and are often known by that name. THKO passed through two splits, Bes Parçacılar left in 1976 and THKO-Aktancılar in 1977. Bes Parçacılar reunited with TDKP-IÖ in 1979. The TDKP-IÖ formally founded TDKP at a congress on 2 February 1980.
TDKP adhered to the political line of the Albanian Party of Labour
.
In the second half of the 1980s, TDKP was riddled with internal strife. Three factions split away from it, accusing the leadership of reformism; Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey-Socialist Unity
(TDKP-SB) in 1987, Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey-Leninist Wing
(TDKP-DK, also known as "Ekim" after its newspaper) in 1988 and Revolutionary Communist Workers Movement of Turkey
(TDKIH) in 1989.
After the fall of Socialist Albania TDKP started looking more towards establishing legal structures. Emek Partisi (Labour Party) was banned in March 1996 shortly after its foundation. In its place Emeğin Partisi (Labour Party
) was founded later changing its name to Emek Partisi (generally called EMEP) again.
TDKP is an active participant in the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations
.
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
: Türkiye Devrimci Komünist Partisi) is a clandestine communist party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. TDKP considers itself to be the continuation of the People's Liberation Army of Turkey
People's Liberation Army of Turkey
People's Liberation Army of Turkey was an armed underground far-left movement in Turkey. It was founded at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey in 1970 by Hüseyin İnan, Yusuf Aslan, Sinan Cemgil, Deniz Gezmiş, Taylan Özgur and Cihan Alptekin....
(in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
: Türkiye Halk Kurtuluş Ordusu, THKO). The THKO Conference gathered in October 1978. It changed the name of the organisation to that of Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey - Construction Organisation (TDKP-İÖ short for İnşa Örgütü). The split with the pro-Soviet line of the THKO, called Mücadelede Birlik ('Unity in Struggle') in 1974 is also shown as its roots. Between 1976 and 1979 the followers of THKO gathered around a legal publication called Halkın Kurtuluşu (People's Liberation) and are often known by that name. THKO passed through two splits, Bes Parçacılar left in 1976 and THKO-Aktancılar in 1977. Bes Parçacılar reunited with TDKP-IÖ in 1979. The TDKP-IÖ formally founded TDKP at a congress on 2 February 1980.
TDKP adhered to the political line of the Albanian Party of Labour
Albanian Party of Labour
The Party of Labour of Albania was the sole legal political party in Albania during communist rule...
.
Publications
Since 1975 THKO published the journal Yoldaş/Heval (Turkish/Kurdish for "Comrade"). It was only distributed to members. After the foundation of TDKP-İÖ the journal Devrimin Sesi (Voice of Revolution) was published legally. The journal Parti Bayrağı (Flag of the Party) was another legally published monthly that appeared between 1978 and the military intervention in 1980.Development after 1980
In the 1970s the TKHO had a legal youth organization, known as YDGD (short for Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Association). 1976 the GKB (Genç Komünistler Birliği - Union of Young Communists) was created. Like the Emekçi Kadınlar Birliği (Union of Female Workers) it was no legal formation.In the second half of the 1980s, TDKP was riddled with internal strife. Three factions split away from it, accusing the leadership of reformism; Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey-Socialist Unity
Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey-Socialist Unity
Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey-Socialist Unity was a clandestine Marxist-Leninist political party in Turkey...
(TDKP-SB) in 1987, Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey-Leninist Wing
Communist Workers Party of Turkey
Communist Workers Party of Turkey is an illegal communist party in Turkey. TKİP was founded in November 1998 by EKİM , a group that had split away from the Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey in 1988...
(TDKP-DK, also known as "Ekim" after its newspaper) in 1988 and Revolutionary Communist Workers Movement of Turkey
Revolutionary Communist Workers Movement of Turkey
Revolutionary Communist Workers Movement of Turkey was a clandestine Marxist-Leninist group in Turkey. TDKİH was founded in August 1989, following a split in the Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey...
(TDKIH) in 1989.
After the fall of Socialist Albania TDKP started looking more towards establishing legal structures. Emek Partisi (Labour Party) was banned in March 1996 shortly after its foundation. In its place Emeğin Partisi (Labour Party
Labour Party (Turkey)
Labour Party is a political party in Turkey. Its chairman is Selma Gurkan. The party was founded as Emek Partisi in 1996. Due to its ban by the Constitutional Court, it was refounded with the name Emeğin Partisi , the same year...
) was founded later changing its name to Emek Partisi (generally called EMEP) again.
TDKP is an active participant in the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations
International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations (Unity & Struggle)
The International Conference of Marxist-Leninist Parties and Organizations is an international network of Hoxhaist Communist parties that uphold the line of Enver Hoxha and the Albanian Party of Labour...
.
See also
- List of illegal political parties in Turkey
- Communist Party of TurkeyCommunist Party of TurkeyThe Communist Party of Turkey was a political party in Turkey. The party was founded by Mustafa Suphi in 1920, and was soon to be banned. It worked as a clandestine opposition party throughout the Cold War era, and was persecuted by the various military regimes. Many intellectuals, like Nazım...
for a list of communist parties in Turkey