This book discusses in full the economic, social, and cultural background of modern Turkey's political system. Beginning with a historical sketch of the problems of the Ottoman Empire that gave rise to the early reform movement, Professor Karpat describes the eventual formation of the Republic and the consequent economic and social changes and the international political developments conditioned by the Second World War. In the central portion of the book he focuses attention on postwar political developments, with special emphasis on the critical period from 1945 to 1950.

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