Özet:

This study addressed cotton production and cotton policies and their repercussions on the Turkish economy between November 11, 1938 (Ismet Inonu was elected president) and May 14, 1950 (the Democratic Party came to power) in the light of numerical data. The study covered the subject matter in five periods; (1) Cotton production activities during the Inonu era, (2) cotton seed breeding, (3) cotton trade, (4) national and international communications, congresses and meetings on cotton and (5) cotton-related corporatization and cooperation activities. Data were collected from the Presidency Republican Archive Documents, official publications, Memorandum Diary of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, laws and minutes books, Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey, annual statistics and articles in the financial journals of the era. The study also assessed global developments in cotton production. The results are as follows: After Ismet Inonu was elected president, foreign educational films were purchased to improve the cotton farming techniques of Turkish farmers. US Cleveland and Akala seeds as well as local seeds were widely cultivated. Moreover, commissions were established to address the problems of cotton production and industry. Significant progress was made in the fields of irrigation, mechanization, seed breeding, pest control and cooperation. In addition, congresses and meetings were held. All these efforts increased cotton production and trade, which, in turn, made significant contributions to the national economy.

Anahtar Kelimeler: