This article analyzes the changes that took place in Turkey’s political system in the period following the Second World War, particularly the transition from one-party rule to a multi-party system. The study highlights the historical significance of the top-down modernization policy implemented by the Republican People’s Party between 1923 and 1946, while also emphasizing the growing need for political pluralism, economic freedom, and democratic reforms over time. The formation of the Democratic Party is examined in connection with the emergence of new political forces in Turkish society, as well as the representation of the interests of the agrarian and commercial bourgeoisie and the middle class in the political arena. Drawing on the scholarly views of Erik Jan Zürcher, Feroz Ahmad, Metin Heper, and Çağlar Keyder, the article interprets the rise of the Democratic Party as a reconfiguration of relations between the state and society. In addition, the economic difficulties of the late 1940s, inflation, tax pressures, wartime restrictions, and Turkey’s policy of rapprochement with the West are presented as important factors in the transition to a multi-party system.

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