ABSTRACT
Although the origin of leftist politics in Turkey predates the Kemalist modernisation process, socialism has never dominated the political arena. Instead, what has always been apparent is the strength of centre-right governments, initiated by the Democrat Party (1950-60), then advanced by the Justice (1960s and 1970s) and Motherland parties (1980s). Today, centre-left ideology is in an electoral and ideological crisis.HoweverTurkey is not alone in this field, as leftist political forces typified by Keynesian economic and welfare management systems have been challenged by the pressures of political and economic globalisation. Whilst the weakness of mainstream left politics is a more recent phenomenon in international terms (since 1973), explanatory ideas for the Turkish case are somewhat more entrenched.
