halkçlk

Halkçılık, often rendered in Turkish as halkçılık (populism), is a political doctrine associated with the early Turkish Republic and the Kemalist program. It stands for the idea that political sovereignty and reform should be grounded in the will and welfare of the broad public, rather than a privileged elite. In Turkish political vocabulary it is one of the six core principles of Kemalism, alongside republicanism, nationalism, secularism, statism, and reformism.

The concept emerged in the 1920s and 1930s under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his associates as the state sought rapid modernization and social transformation. It promoted mass participation in public life, expanded education and civic institutions, and aimed to reduce traditional hierarchies. The Halkevleri (People’s Houses), a network of cultural and educational centers established in 1932, embodied halkçılık by spreading secular, republican ideas and fostering literacy and social awareness among ordinary citizens.

Key features of halkçılık include the emphasis on popular sovereignty, equality before the law, and social justice achieved through state intervention when necessary. It advocated modernization and national unity within a secular, nationalist framework and supported state-led initiatives to modernize the economy and society without adopting a fully socialist program. While it sought to empower citizens, it operated within the one-party state structure of the time, using populist rhetoric to promote reform and political cohesion.

Today, halkçılık is mainly studied as a historical component of Kemalist policy. It is cited in discussions of Turkish political modernization and the relationship between state power and mass mobilization, rather than as a current political doctrine.