TÜRK SİYASİ TARİHİNDE ANAYASAL DÜŞÜNCENİN EVRİMİ: TOPLUMSAL DEĞİŞİM VE SİYASAL REJİM
THE EVOLUTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL THOUGHT IN TURKISH POLITICAL HISTORY: SOCIAL CHANGE AND POLITICAL REGIME

Summary/Abstract: This study analyzes the constitutional developments in Turkey from the Ottoman era to the present by examining the historical and intellectual foundations of constitutional thought within the framework of political regime, social transformation, and democratization. It discusses the evolution of constitutionalism from antiquity and explores the significance of the Charter of Alliance, the Rescript of Tanzimat, the Rescript of Reform, and the first Ottoman Constitution of 1876 in the Ottoman context. The constitutions of 1921, 1924, 1961, and 1982 are analyzed in relation to political structure, power relations, and the concept of the rule of law. The article emphasizes that the constitution is not merely a normative document but also serves a foundational function in limiting political power, protecting individual rights and freedoms, and ensuring societal legitimacy. It is further argued that limited civic participation, authoritarian interventions, and the process of modernization have played a decisive role in the institutionalization of the constitutional order. As a result, it has been concluded that the constitution in Turkey has taken shape as a reflection of the shifts in political paradigms throughout history, the demands of civil society, and the quest for the rule of law.

• Details
• Contents