Abstract:

First industrialization movement in Turkey was conducted by the state in weapon production. A strong working class could not emerge since the Turkey had not been able to found an efficient industry compared to European industry. It can be seen that a working class whose income was solely based on labour started to emerge. The labour movement in Europe affected İmalat-ı Harbiye workers. The first labour organization was founded secretly by the name of Tophane Workers’ Society in 1894. With the second constitutionalism act in 1908 socialism was represented for the first time in Turkish politics. During the truce period İmalat-I Harbiye workers were quite active in Turkish Labour and Farmers’ Party which carried out its actions in İstanbul. Numan [Ustalar] who was the first worker to become a deputy in Turkish history was one of the İmalat-I Harbiye workers. There were also workers who were quite active in Public Communion and Turkish Communist Party which had been emerging in Anatolia. It is clearly seen that there was a competition between socialist movements and Communist Party in early 1920s during which labour movements respectably increased. In this article the position and actions of workers in İmalat-I Harbiye factories during the last days Ottoman Empire and Turkish War of Independence are studied

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