Research Information System
Journal of Modern Turkish History, vol.20, no.40, pp.351-375, 2020 (ESCI)
Abstract
Mondros armistice corresponds to a period of political turmoil in the Ottoman
Empire. After the armistice was signed the party of Committee of Union and Progress
dissolved itself and the central administrators fled abroad. The Renewal Party, founded at the
last congress of Union and Progress, has become the main attraction point of the anti-unionist
approach throughout the country. The Renewal Party has preserved its privilaged place in
Turkish political life as a political organization established under the very special conditions
of the armistice. The political life of the party, which lasted about seven months, was replaced
by the disintegration of an empire and the establishment of a new nation-state. In this process
the Renewal draws attention as a political organization that make serious contributions to
the preperation phase of the national struggle and is constantly criticized over its unionist
identity. The most important place where the party was organized in Anatolia was Izmir.
The executives of the party of Union and Progress in Izmir also worked as the managers
of the Renewal Party. It has been known as a fact that the party has supported the union
organized against the occupation of Izmir. In addition, the administrators of Izmir Renewal
Party, especially the clerk Mahmut Celal (Bayar) Bey have a big share in the gathering of the
great Izmir congress organized by the Izmir Müdafaa-yı Hukuk-ı Osmaniye Society. In this
article the establishment of the Renewal Party and the activities of the Izmir organization will
be evaluated.
Keywords: Constitutionalism, Ittihatism, Renewal Party, Mondros Armistice Corresponds,
National Struggle.