From ruler to Pariah: The life and times of the true path party

Abstract

The historical conditions surrounding the birth of the True Path Party (Doğru Yol Partisi—DYP) on June 23, 1983 are identical to the labor pains of its predecessor, the Justice Party (Adalet Partisi—AP), on November 20, 1961. The AP had established itself as the principal heir to the Democratic Party (Demokrat Parti—DP) which was closed down by the 1960 military coup. The military rulers rooted the emergence of both the AP and DYP in the closure of their predecessor parties. More importantly, this time the crisis coincided with the challenges and uncertainties posed by new global trends, a generalized political phenomenon of democratization, and free market economy being the most significant ones. This contribution will consider the life and times of the DYP essentially in terms of the language, method, and logic of its reluctant change over time.