Abstract:

The Unity Party (BP) was a political party that was established by a group of Alevis in 1966. The party, which later came to be named the Turkish Unity Party (TBP), had gone through several ideological transformations throughout its political life. We know that “traditional” Alevis are a group that the TBP tried to address during its foundation period. Within this framework, we can conclude that the Hadji Bektashi Dervish Convent (HBD) contributed to the party on a seemingly significant scale. Despite the influence of the HBD within the party, the TBP gained the identity of a leftist party due to several factors. Meanwhile, with Alevism regarded as a cultural/religious representation rather than as a leftist ideology, the HBD and its representative sections alienated themselves from the party. Thanks to its connection with tradition, the TBP had shown a relatively successful performance by sending eight representatives to parliament. The same success, however, was not observed in the 1973 and 1977 elections. This study examines the difference in the party’s success between the period when it was founded and the 70s in an effort to consider the connection established by the TBP with tradition and/or the leftists. This examination was based on the party’s programs and the addresses and statements of the party’s dignitaries. Descriptive and historical research methods were used in the study.

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