A Study On The Road Of Secularization Of Turkey

This paper thinks that compatibility is one of the reasons why Islam has been enduring strengths. Through ijtihad and al-tafsir, Islam has been increasingly secular. Success of secularization in Turkey is one of examples in Islam world. Reform of Turkey’s secularization began in the late Ottoman Empire. It extended from military to education and other fields. Although the secularized reform failed to prevent its destruction, it delayed the process. More importantly, the secular reform of Empire laid a foundation on Kemal’s reform.The process of secularization in modern Turkey shows the characteristics in different stages. The first stage is the establishment of secularism. After the founding of modern Turkey, six doctrines that include the secularism became the main national political ideology of Turkey. Characteristics of Kemal’s secularism is similar to French one.Obviously, the process of secularization was pushed by leaders. During the reign of Kemal Ataturk secular reforms promoted the construction of political, economic, cultural and other modern reforms. The second stage, the establishment of a multiparty system, secular party became the opposition party. It means not only the end of domination of The Republican People’s Party, but also laid the foundation on the Islamic revival. Islam could revive because of the lack of a secular Republican people’s Party of mandatory policies. Democratic Party took over the government. The third stage, the Islamic revival attempted to change the developing road of secular state, military intervened politics. Islamic party made use of regional environment and the surrounding to revive Islam and deviated from the national secular direction. Erbakan led the welfare party to form a coalition, then to push the heyday of Islamic renaissance. Military intervention is for the constitutional mission, the national secular and democratic system construction and its own interests. The fourth stage, the moderate Islamist party, Justice and Development Party of Turkey, is in power, while secular and religious in equilibrium phase. Erdogan’s been leading the country to a stable development period. Countries have emerged over the years political stability, economic prosperity, the harmonious relationship between secular and religious sides.To look back at history, after years of Westernization process, Most Turks changed from Muslim identity to secular Turks identity. Because of the imbalance of regional economic development and the inherent racial differences, It hindered the construction of national identity in the process of secularization.The purpose of this paper is to study the secularization between the founding of modern Turkey which was founded in1923and the period of the ruling Justice and Development Party of Turkey in Turkey. It involved some important events such as Kemal’s secularization, military intervention. This paper mainly uses social constructivist theory to analyze the reasons, the way of secularization and the effect.