The evolution of Islamic politics in Turkey along the NSP-PP line : change or continuity

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to describe changes and continuities in the National Salvation Party (Milli Selamet Partisi, NSP)-Prosperity Party (Refah Partisi, PP) line in the period through 1970 to 1990 at the level of ideological posture, political discourse and electoral support báse. In doing this, I tried to emphasize,— talcing the great political and economic changes 'Furkish society experienced in the 1980 decade and the way these changes were reflected in and accommodated by the NSP-PP line as the starting point,— that since the NSP-PP line has based itself on cultural cleavages,— mainly religious-based,— obtaining within Turkish society, its ideological posture in its essentials has remained outside the ,scope of changes resulted from functional (economic) cleavages, although the sources of its political appeal as well as its political discourse have undergone contextual accomodations.