Tornado Alley (PROG)

[blackhawks]

Extra-constitutional violations deserve an extra-constitutional response. We need to be more like Turkey was.

When, how often and why did the Turkey military coup against the government?

Sources
Answer

Turkey has a long history of military coups, with several successful and attempted coups occurring since the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923. The military has traditionally seen itself as the guardian of Turkey's secular establishment and a protector of order during times of civil unrest or weak civilian leadership4.

Major Military Coups in Turkey

1960 Coup: The first coup in the Turkish Republic occurred on May 27, 196013. It was triggered by economic stagnation, perceived rise in political Islam, and unrest against the ruling Democrat Party6.

1971 Coup: On March 12, 1971, the military forced Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel's government to resign through a memorandum10.

1980 Coup: On September 12, 1980, led by General Kenan Evren, this coup was the third major military intervention12. It followed a period of political instability and violence between left-wing and right-wing groups1.

1997 "Post-modern" Coup: On February 28, 1997, the military pressured Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan to step down without directly seizing power4.

2016 Attempted Coup: On July 15, 2016, a faction within the Turkish Armed Forces attempted to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government. This coup attempt failed due to public resistance and lack of coordination among the plotters25.

Reasons for Military Interventions
Protecting Secularism: The military often cited the erosion of secular principles as a reason for intervention2.
Political Instability: Coups were frequently justified as necessary to restore order during times of political deadlock or civil unrest1.
Economic Issues: Economic stagnation and mismanagement were sometimes used as pretexts for military takeovers1.
Perceived Threats to Democracy: Ironically, the military often claimed to be protecting democracy by overthrowing elected governments4.
Institutional Role: The Turkish constitution historically specified the army's role as protecting Turkey against internal and external threats, which the military interpreted broadly6.

The frequency of coups decreased over time, with nearly two decades between the 1997 intervention and the 2016 attempt. This reduction was partly due to reforms by civilian governments to bring the military under control and changes in public perception of military interventions7. The failure of the 2016 coup attempt, largely due to public resistance, may have marked a significant shift in Turkey's political dynamics regarding military involvement in governance