Effects of March 12 Memorandum on Turkish Politics and State Organization

The 1961 Constitution reshaped the state organization and political life. The pluralist political life that emerged with this structure has paved the way for new parties. However, the political, social and economic transformation, which accelerated after the second half of the decade, has exposed new problems in state organization and social life. Especially student incidents and worker actions have become a threat to the regime. On March 12, 1971, the chief of the General Staff and the Commanders of the Land, Sea and Air Forces were appointed to article 35 of the Turkish Armed Forces Internal Service Act and carried out the second military intervention in the history of the republic. The intervention has initiated a process that will create significant change in political structures and state organization. At the end of the decade, the increasing intra-party crises and fragmentations in the center-right and left parties have gained momentum. While the issue of amnesty of Democratic Party politicians grew the depression in the Justice Party, the disagreement in the Republican People's Party, between Ismet Inonu and Bulent Ecevit, resulted in Ecevit's resignation. The National Order Party and the Workers' Party of Turkey, which was established after the pluralism of the 1961 Constitution, were closed by the Constitutional Court. The universaldimensional understanding of freedom of the constitution, which is seen as one of the main responsibilities of the point reached, has been narrowed and the power of execution has been tried to be increased by limiting this structure of autonomous institutions. Political, social and economic rights, which are seen as a threat to the regime through the amendment slated for the constitution, have been significantly limited.Keywords: Memorandum, technocrat government, 1961 Constitution, military-politics relationship