
Women’s Thought in Early Socialist Movements (1908-1923)
Chapter from the book:
Akıncı,
A.
(ed.)
2025.
Academic Research and Evaluations in Political Science.
Synopsis
In the period preceding the Second Constitutional Era of the Ottoman Empire, socialism became a more popular movement among minority groups due to their contact with Europe. During that period, Turks became acquainted with socialism through periodicals published by minority groups and Ottoman intellectuals who had traveled to Europe. With the proclamation of the Second Constitutional Era in 1908, a climate of liberty emerged, leading to a rise in diverse ideas as well as increased press and publishing activities. In such an environment, the socialist movement also began to gain ground within society. As the socialist left developed, various movements emerged within it both during the Ottoman period and in the first quarter of the Republic of Turkey. Thus, the socialist movement in Turkey established a place for itself in both the political and social spheres. Many issues concerning societal problems were addressed in the periodicals, brochures, and documents published by these movements. Among these issues, there are also ideas concerning women's labor, exploitation, and social status. Within the scope of this study, it is aimed to examine the ideas of the socialist left between 1908 and 1923 regarding the status of women, the “woman question,” and women's rights. From this point of view, the thoughts of international Marxist theorists on women will first be discussed. Subsequently, the socialist movements existing during the specified period will be briefly introduced. Finally, the ideas, discourses, and policies regarding "women" in the periodicals, documents, and brochures published by socialist movements between 1908 and 1923 will be examined. During this analysis, the study will also highlight the points at which they were influenced by the international Marxist literature. The methodology of the study is based on descriptive analysis, a qualitative research approach.