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Celâl Bayar

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Celâl Bayar was a central figure in the modern history of Turkey.

Mahmud Djelal
Mahmud Djelal

He served as an economist and a high-ranking politician. His leadership helped define how the Turkish state managed its money and its government. Most notably, he served as the third president of Turkey from 1950 to 1960. He also held the position of prime minister from 1937 to 1939. His life spanned many major transitions in the region. He lived to be 103 years old, making him one of the longest-lived heads of state in history.

Bayar's early life was shaped by significant movement and study. He was born on May 16, 1883, in Umurbey, a village in Bursa. His father was a religious leader who had migrated from Ottoman Bulgaria.

Celal Bayar - Bursa, 1909
Celal Bayar - Bursa, 1909

As a young man, Bayar worked in several different offices. He worked at a court clerk's office and at Ziraat Bank in Bursa. He also studied silk production and attended courses at the Collège Français de l'Assomption. These experiences gave him a strong foundation in both business and administration.

His political career began with the Committee of Union and Progress, or the CUP. He helped organize local branches of this group in Bursa and İzmir.

Atatürk ve Celâl Bayar
Atatürk ve Celâl Bayar

During the Turkish War of Independence, Bayar became deeply involved in the national resistance. He helped create groups to defend the rights of the people in İzmir. He even joined the movement led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Bayar served in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and held several ministerial roles. He was even a member of the Turkish delegation at the Lausanne Peace Conference in 1922.

Bayar played a vital role in building Turkey's financial systems. In 1924, Atatürk asked him to found a national bank. This led to the creation of İş Bankası, the first bank in the country.

President Inonu and PM Bayar
President Inonu and PM Bayar

He used gold sent by Muslims in India to help provide the initial capital. Throughout his career, Bayar debated different ways to run the economy. He initially advocated for liberal policies to encourage private business. Later, he became a leading advocate for statism. Statism is a policy where the state takes a much larger role in managing the economy and industry.

In 1937, Atatürk appointed Bayar as the prime minister. He held this role until 1939, when he resigned due to disagreements with İsmet İnönü. This rivalry between Bayar and İnönü became a major part of Turkish political history. After his time as prime minister, Bayar remained active in the Republican People's Party, or CHP. However, he eventually wanted more political competition in the country. He and several others pushed for changes to allow more freedom in the party and the law.

In 1946, Bayar helped found the Democrat Party, or the DP.

Celal Bayar addresses US Congress, 1954
Celal Bayar addresses US Congress, 1954

This was a very important moment because it started the multiparty period in Turkey. The DP focused on political democratization and encouraging private initiative. In the 1950 elections, the DP won a peaceful transfer of power from the CHP. Following this victory, Bayar was elected president. He was re-elected in 1954 and 1957, serving a total of ten years as the nation's leader.

Bayar's presidency ended abruptly due to a coup d'etat in 1960. Following the coup, he was overthrown and sent to prison. After he was released, he worked to restore the rights of the politicians who had been part of the Democrat Party.

Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F005558-0005, Staatsbesuch Präsident der Türkei, Bayar
Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F005558-0005, Staatsbesuch Präsident der Türkei, Bayar

His long life allowed him to see Turkey move from an empire to a republic, and from a single-party system to a multi-party democracy. He died on August 22, 1986, at the age of 103.

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🖼️ Images & Media (6)
File:Mahmud Djelal.jpg
Mahmud Djelal.jpg
File:Celal_Bayar_-_Bursa,_1909.jpg
Celal_Bayar_-_Bursa,_1909.jpg
File:Atatürk ve Celâl Bayar.jpg
Atatürk ve Celâl Bayar.jpg
File:President Inonu and PM Bayar.jpg
President Inonu and PM Bayar.jpg
File:Celal Bayar addresses US Congress, 1954.jpg
Celal Bayar addresses US Congress, 1954.jpg
File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F005558-0005, Staatsbesuch Präsident der Türkei, Bayar.jpg
Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F005558-0005,...
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