adalet

Adalet is the Turkish word for justice and fairness. Etymology traces it to the Arabic word adl, meaning fairness, equity. In Turkish usage, the term encompasses moral, legal, and social notions of right and impartial treatment.

In legal and political life, adalet denotes equal treatment before the law, due process, and an impartial judiciary. It is pursued through the rule of law and independent institutions. In Turkey, the judiciary and constitutional oversight bodies—such as the Constitutional Court, the Court of Cassation (Yargıtay), and the Council of State (Danıştay)—are charged with upholding adalet and resolving disputes. A common proverb, “Adalet mülkün temelidir” (Justice is the foundation of the state), is often cited to illustrate the link between fairness and stable governance.

Beyond law, adalet is a central cultural value in Turkish thought, appearing in literature, philosophy, and everyday speech as a standard of moral conduct and social harmony. In political life, the word features prominently in discourse about governance and equality, and it is embedded in the names of political movements, most notably the Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (Justice and Development Party). Overall, adalet is understood as both a normative ideal and a practical objective in public life.