Summer I994

T urkey: A Modern History

Erik J. Zurcher

London & New York: I.B. Tauris, 1993.381 pages, maps. ISBN 1-85043-614-2 $19.95.

Review by Rachel Simon, Ph.D. Princeton University

rik J. Zurcher has written a comprehensive study covering the last two centuries of Turkish history. His approach is revision-

ist and quite different from the classical histories of Turkey pub- lished during the Republican era. While highlighting Turkey’s achievements and the hurdles that it overcame, the author is none- theless quite critical of principal figures, processes, and systems, in- cluding the almost divine personality of Atatiirk, the fate of the Ar- menians, and the whole concept of modernization.

Nijmegen University and Senior Research Fellow at the Internation- al Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, has previously authored two books: The Unionist Factor: The Role of the Commiftee of Union and Progress in the Turkish National Movement, 1905-2926 (Leiden: E.J. Bri11,.1984) and Political Opposition in the Early Turkish Republic: the Progressive Republican Party, 2924-2925 (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1991). He has done much research and teaching in modern Turkish history.

Zurcher, a senior lecturer in the history of the Middle East at

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The present work includes the study itself, a bibliographical survey, and biographical notes on some important figures in Turkish history. Also included are a glossary (mainly of Turkish terms), three maps, and an index.

The book departs from the traditional periodization of modern Turkish history in its treatment of the twentieth century. Most stud- ies regard the Turkish War of Independence as a dividing point be- tween the Ottoman empire period (which is in itself heavily subdi- vided and includes the Young Turk regime during the Second Constitutional period) and the Republican era. Ziircher explains his periodization, theory, and methodology in his introduction (p. 1-7). He divides the modern era (from Bonaparte’s invasion of Egypt) into three main periods. His section titles illuminate his approach: “Western Influences and Early Attempts at Modernization” (1798 - 1908), “The Young Turk Era in Turkish History 1908-1950”, and “A Troubled Democracy” (1950s-1990s). He believes that “in spite of the break-up of the empire in 1918 and the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923, politically, ideologically and economical- ly, there is a great deal of continuity” (p. 4). With regards to his ap- proach, Ziircher states that ”[wlhere this book does claim to be a ’modern history,’ is in the attempt to present an integrated view of the history of Turkey in the last two hundred years, putting as much emphasis on socioeconomic developments as on political and ideo- logical ones” (p. 6-7). It has no pretensions of being an original piece of research but aims to present the state of the art where published research is concerned. Zurcher admits that in one respect his book is anachronistic-in treating the pre-1922 history of Turkey as a histo- ry of the Ottoman empire-but he says that ”Turkey cannot be un- derstood without reference to its Ottoman past” (p. 7).

The first part of the book deals with Western influences and early attempts of modernization. It gives ample coverage to foreign intervention and influence as well as to indigenous motivation on the part of the modernizers, be they sultans, statesmen, or bureau- crats. One area in which Zurcher gives a more balanced view than usual is in the treatment of Sultan Abdulhamit 11. He examines both his despotic side, with the huge internal spy ring which he operated, and his backing of some reforms, not only those which facilitated his control over the empire, such as improved communications, but also education. Both, in fact, contributed to his downfall.

The second part, “The Young Turk Era in Turkish History, 1908-1950,” is the one with which Zurcher’s own research is most involved. His revisionist view does not end in the periodization of

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Turkish history. Thus, for example, after stating the facts and oppos- ing views regarding the Armenian question, he concludes that “there was a centrally controlled policy of extermination, instigated by the CUP [Committee of Union and Progress]” (p. 121). He also sees much similarity in the political activity and method of opera- tion of the Young Turks during the Second Constitutional period (1908-1918) and the early phase of the Kemalist rule. He depicts a liberal and pluralist phase (1908-1913 and 1919-1925 respectively), followed by an authoritarian repressive one, that combined a one- party system, political, economic, and cultural nationalism as well as modernizing and secularizing reforms (1913-1918 and 1925-1950) (p. 4, and elaborated in the second part). Thus, despite the fact that the Kemalist regime-many of whose leaders were former Young Turks-tried to distance itself from the Young Turks, and in fact tried, imprisoned, and executed many of them, Zurcher finds many similarities in their approach and political behavior.

clasm: his view of Mustafa Kemal Atatiirk. While giving due credit to Ataturk‘s role in the struggle for independence and the formation of the Turkish republic, Zurcher is quite critical of his political be- havior which was manifested in building an authoritarian state headed by him, in which the ruling party was the government, the civil service, and the armed forces. He also analyses Atatiirk‘s role in the cultural field which shaped Turkish self-view and historiography.

regimes from the 1950s to the early 1990s, interrupted by military interventions and two new and quite different constitutions, that gave birth to the second and third Turkish republics. Zurcher’s anal- ysis of socioeconomic and cultural trends is very important here. It sheds light on the reasons for the stormy political developments in Turkey, especially since the 1960s.

The bibliographical survey cites major studies (mainly in En- glish and Turkish) evaluated by Zurcher. This is the only reference the study includes. The text has no notes. Although this obviously makes the book much more readable than a heavily annotated study, the inclusion of references, especially in such highly revision- ist work, would have strengthened Zurcher’s case.

The biographical sketches are very helpful, giving basic infor- mation on major figures in modern Turkish history. Here, as well as in the text and the index, the people who started their career in the Ottoman period (before the adoption of family names in 1934) are usually referred to by their first names (although the last names are

This is, however, a mere introduction to a far greater icono-

The last part, “A Troubled Democracy,” covers the multi-party

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added). This makes the location of several figures who became known mainly in the Republican era somewhat cumbersome. The inclusion of a list of abbreviations would have been very helpful, especially for the later period with the abundance of political, social, and cultural groupings. What makes this guesswork especially diffi- cult is the fact that not all these bodies are mentioned in the index, and, while the acronyms are usually based on the English name, the index entries are usually in Turkish, followed by English. Indeed, the reasons behind inclusion or omission in the index are not clear.

dealing in each chapter with political, socioeconomic, and cultural developments, contrary to several previous studies which focused on political history. His analysis is basically chronologic, and there are no broad examinations of political, socioeconomic, and cultural trends. The study is up-to-date in its coverage and in presenting the state of the art. His approach regarding periodization and the treat- ment of central figures, events, and processes is sure to enliven the study of modem Turkey.

Zurcher has written a comprehensive study of modern Turkey,

The contents appearing in this publication are indexed by

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