Socio-Economic Life in Hatay During the Democrat Party Period

Abstract

The main subject of the article is the peculiar reflections of Hatay, of the social and economical activities of the most controversial and important party of the Turkish political history, the Democrat Party’s (DP) supremacy between 1950-1960s.

Because of its geographical, historical and cultural features, Hatay has been the subject of several investigations. With this work, the socio-economic structure of Hatay has been tried to put forward in every aspectduring the period of the DP, which marked the Turkish political history and caried out rapid development spurt across the country. In this way, it has been considered to be served to complete the purpose of the issue that in scientific sense was left incomplete in that direction. Because of the lack of research reflects that period in a holictic way but in private of Hatay reveals the importance of the work.

In this study, in terms of reflecting of social and economic structure of that period, local newspapers has maxcimally been used. As a result of the investigation of the periodical local newspaper the course of developments in the social and economic fields determined and analyzed. During this process as much as possible from different sources, especially from the newspapers have been utilized. Because the diversity of sources is a factor boosting the clarification of historical events and comparison. It has also tried to clarify the issue through local organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce archives.

In this period, it has been significantly invested in industrialization in this region, as a result of state-citizen cooperation the textile, electrical and mining industry have been established. The use of modern techniques in agriculture and the opening of Lake Amik by drying it have been achieved in crease in agricultural production. It has been expanded the volume of trade capacity of the province by increasing capacity of the region's most important commercial port of Iskenderun Port. Yet in this period, the spread of education, sports and arts activities as well have been made efforts to reach the great masses. Besides, it has accelerated the establishment of non-governmental organizations; especially the great interest in immigrants coming as a result of Bulgarian migration it has contributed significantly to the social integration.