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The History of the Republic
of Turkey |
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 Organization of the State and the Reforms: After the National War of Independence was won and the Lausanne Treaty was signed, the first step Mustafa Kemal took was to merge the Anatolia and Rumelia Associations for Defense of Rights established during the war into the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and assume its chairmanship. The aim of the Republican People’s Party was to modernize the country and to introduce the western system, institutions and lifestyle, which were adopted as a model. |
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The Republic, regarded as the most important reform, was proclaimed on October 29, 1923. The leader of the national struggle, Mustafa Kemal, was unanimously elected the first president of Turkey. Ýsmet Pasha (Ýnönü) had been appointed as the first prime minister. However, these
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“Hat” became the national head cover on November 25, 1925 |
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developments disturbed some deputies in the National Assembly, and the possibility of controversies between the new administration and the institutions and cadres with roots in the caliphate system underlined the necessity of a radica metamorphosis. Four months after the declaration of the republic, the TGNA abolished the Caliphate and also decided to expel the members of the Ottoman dynasty (March 3, 1924). |
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| In order to achieve a modern pattern of a nation and society, it was necessary to separate religious and state affairs, and provide freedom of faith and conscience for individuals. In this connection the Ministry of Shariah and Foundations was abolished, and instead the Directorate of Religious Affairs and the Directorate of Foundations, attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, were established. With the Unification of Education Law, the religious school system was brought to an end, and all schools as well as educational matters were unified under the Ministry of National Education. Under the Judicial Organization Law, the Shariah Courts were replaced by secular courts. Under the Hat Law promulgated on November 25, 1925, the turban and fez were banned and the “hat” became the national headwear. The international hour and calendar systems were adopted on November 26, 1925. The dervish lodges and convents and also turbehs were closed and the titles of tariqah (sect) were abolished on November 30, 1925. Furthermore on February 17, 1926, the “Turkish Civil Code” was adopted, replacing the Mecelle code and the Shariah laws, which were the foundation stones of the Ottoman law. In line with these moves, the Code of Obligations, the Criminal Code and the Commercial Code were also reformulated in accordance with contemporary principles. |
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| The prohibition of polygamy and putting divorce issues under jurisdiction of solely the courts constituted the first important steps in women’s rights. The women were granted suffrage and the right to hold office in municipalities by 1930, in village councils by 1933 and in the TGNA by 1934, way before many European countries. |
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A new Turkish alphabet was prepared by the Ministry of National Education and the law envisaging the use of the
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