1949-50 yıllarında demokrasinin (Demokrat Parti`nin) oluşum süreci ve siyasal iletişimin işlevi

Abstract

SUMMARY This thesis consists of five main parts. The first is an introduction which states the significance of the subject-matter of the thesis, Democratic Party and Political Communication, and the aim, scope, limits and the method of study. In the second part the concept of pluralism has been discussed in terms of the notion of political democracy. In this discussion, the introduction of the concept of pluralism which had been born out of an ontological debate in the field of philosophy in eighteenth century into political thought and its evolution throughout the studies conducted in the field of political science has been traced. After considering the criticisms put forward against pluralism, it has been argued that, although the theory of pluralism as a pure model of power is one-dimensional and hence unacceptable, it could be utilized in a study which aims at the investigation of the transition from one-party regime to a multi-party political regime in Turkey. Since I am convinced that a social phenomenon which belongs to a particular historical conjencture cannot be grasped without its historical background which paves the way of that phenomenon, in the third part I tried to analyze pro-history of Democratic Party. In this analysis a sociological and political/cultural map has been drawn without which, in my view, the significance of Democratic Party and its election campaign could not be understood. In this map the modernization programs of ruling bureaucratic elites and the conflict and gap between ruling elitegroups and people which can be conceptualized as center- periphery diversion, becomes prominent. Having drawn the conceptual map by means of an analysis of sociological and political/cultural evolution which prepared the political pluralism in Turkey by the end of the Second World War, I went on to study the formation of Democratic Party and its political campaign during elections made in May 14 1950 in light of the conclusions given through previous analysis. This part has been allocated to the study of formation of Democratic Party and its election campaign through a discussion of theories and findings related with politics and mass communication. The speeches delivered by Democratic Party leaders during election campaigns showed that Democratic Party has emphasized the national will which could be reached mainly by the voting choices of citizens, as the sole ground of political legitimation. What is interested is that, the emphasis made on the nation will is successfuly articulated with the defence of individual rights, religious freedom and the right to organize. In this articulation, periphery finds its spokesmen. As a result, with regard to its general configuration, the findings of the study shows that Democratic Party's political discourse has been organized around liberal ideas and promises. But, in order to understand this liberal discourse in terms of Turkey's specific place in history, we need to understand the past socio-political configuration inherited from the Ottoman Empire. t***2^