Workers Party of Turkey
Encyclopedia
Workers Party of Turkey (Türkiye İşçi Partisi) was a Turkish political party, founded in 1961. It became the first socialist party in Turkey to win representation in the national parliament. It was banned twice (after the military coups of 1971 and 1980) and eventually merged with the Communist Party of Turkey
in 1988.
TİP was founded by a group of labor union members. After a year of inactivity, the founders invited Marxist lawyer Mehmet Ali Aybar
to assume the leadership of the party. Following Aybar, several other Marxist intellectuals also joined the ranks and the party soon adopted a Marxist programme.
The party's breakthrough came in 1965 when it got 3% of the votes in the national elections and won 15 seats in the parliament. TİP deputies' highly publicized active participation in parliamentary sessions contributed to a radicalisation of the political scene in the country. By 1967-68, militant left-wing student organizations and labour unions were formed.
In 1968, after the invasion of Czechoslovakia
, Aybar adopted a rhetoric hostile to Soviet Communism. However, when TİP failed to increase its votes in the 1969 elections, Aybar had to resign from party leadership and Marxist sociologist Behice Boran
, who had opposed Aybar's anti-Soviet stand, was elected as party leader in 1970.
TİP was banned after the military coup of 1971 and Boran, together with other senior TİP leaders, arrested and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. They were released following an amnesty in 1974 and re-established TİP the next year.
TİP was once again banned after the next military coup in 1980. This time, Boran went to exile in Europe and the party continued to operate clandestinely. In 1988, it merged with the Communist Party of Turkey
to form the United Communist Party of Turkey
.
Communist Party of Turkey
The 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...
in 1988.
TİP was founded by a group of labor union members. After a year of inactivity, the founders invited Marxist lawyer Mehmet Ali Aybar
Mehmet Ali Aybar
Mehmet Ali Aybar was an International lawyer, Member of Turkish Parliament, First president of the Workers Party of Turkey , Founder and President of the Socialist Revolution Party and Member of The International War Crimes Tribunal against war crimes of USA in Vietnam .-Biography:Ali Aybar's was...
to assume the leadership of the party. Following Aybar, several other Marxist intellectuals also joined the ranks and the party soon adopted a Marxist programme.
The party's breakthrough came in 1965 when it got 3% of the votes in the national elections and won 15 seats in the parliament. TİP deputies' highly publicized active participation in parliamentary sessions contributed to a radicalisation of the political scene in the country. By 1967-68, militant left-wing student organizations and labour unions were formed.
In 1968, after the invasion of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Aybar adopted a rhetoric hostile to Soviet Communism. However, when TİP failed to increase its votes in the 1969 elections, Aybar had to resign from party leadership and Marxist sociologist Behice Boran
Behice Boran
Behice Boran was a Turkish Marxist politician, author and sociologist. As a dissenting political voice from the left, Boran was repeatedly imprisoned for her work and died in exile after the Turkish military coup of 1980....
, who had opposed Aybar's anti-Soviet stand, was elected as party leader in 1970.
TİP was banned after the military coup of 1971 and Boran, together with other senior TİP leaders, arrested and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. They were released following an amnesty in 1974 and re-established TİP the next year.
TİP was once again banned after the next military coup in 1980. This time, Boran went to exile in Europe and the party continued to operate clandestinely. In 1988, it merged with the Communist Party of Turkey
Communist Party of Turkey
The 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...
to form the United Communist Party of Turkey
United Communist Party of Turkey
United Communist Party of Turkey was a political party in Turkey. The leadership of two banned parties Communist Party of Turkey and Workers Party of Turkey announced in 1987 that they had decided to merge and form TBKP...
.
See also
- 1978 Bahçelievler MassacreBahçelievler massacreThe Bahçelievler incident is the name given to the events of October 9, 1978 in Bahçelievler, Ankara, Turkey, when seven university students, members of the Turkish Workers' Party, were assassinated by neo-fascists including Grey Wolves' leader Abdullah Çatlı, and Haluk Kırcı...
- Workers' Party (Turkey)Workers' Party (Turkey)Workers' Party is political party in Turkey led by Doğu Perinçek. İP has its roots in the Revolutionary Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey , Workers and Peasants Party of Turkey and Socialist Party...