Abstract:

This study explores political representation and engagement of Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions, known to have dense Kurdish population and referred further to as Eastern region, in the Turkish parliament between 1946 and 1960. In this respect election ballot distributions are analyzed for the region as well as political, social, economic and cultural profiles of the parliamentarians elected here. Between 1946 and military coup of 1980 Eastern region were mainly represented through local notables. Multilayer would potentially be the best adjective for local notables profile that stands for powerful class from economic and social perspective in the region. These layers involve landlords, local aşiret (clan) leads, tarikat (religious order) leads as well as educated and intellectuals. During Demokrat Parti rule all layers of local notables had opportunity to be represented in the parliament. Traditional local notables had most of the privileges to be represented given their connectedness with political parties. Another part of local notables known as Doğucular (the Easterns) evolved to become Kurdish intelligentsia. Relations with political parties started to transform over 1960s after Kurdish intelligentsia aimed to bring remediation for Eastern underdevelopment issues. Traditional local notables integrated into right-wing parties considering political and economic aspects. At the same time they kept control over local political involvement channels. As a result political representation and presence were monopolized at central, local and civil society levels.

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