CTAD-CUMHURIYET TARIHI ARASTIRMALARI DERGISI, cilt.11, sa.21, ss.111-136, 2015 (ESCI)
The Republic of Turkey, founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and modernized in the light of many reforms, has been referred the Kemalist Turkey by the West. Kemalism, derived from this expression and evolved to a term which defines the concept of six principles is referring to those reforms that paved the way for the modernization of the country. Ismet Inonu, the leading practitioner of Atatuk's revolution, often used the term "Kemalism" in his discourses during his prime ministry. Afterwards, as the President, he began to define the same concept as "Ataturk reforms" instead. Inonu who pioneered the redefinition of the principles of Kemalism during the transition to democracy, strived for giving the message that his party would be the sole structure which could preserve the revolution following his fall from government in 1950. In his ten years period of opposition in the 1950' s, Inonu made an emphasis on Ataturk and his principles more and particularly attached importance to the secularism principle. This study focuses on the assessments of Inonu concerning Kemalism and the Turkish revolution referring to the rhetoric in some of his discourses held between 1939 and 1960.