home home news news columns columns features features

<-- Back to society

History of the Islamic Republic of Turkey

by Adam Adkins

“Turkey Facts”

Muslimun Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
Islamic Republic of Turkey

Form of Government

Multi party democracy with one legislative house (Turkish Grand National Assembly)

Monetary

  • 1 Turkish Lire (LT) = 100 kurush
  • 1 US $ = 7500 LT
  • 1 CAS $ = 15000 LT
  • 1 nuyen = 37500 LT

Official Language

Turkish

Official Religion

Islam

Historical Summary

Turkey continued to be a member of NATO and a growing European power until 2005, when a group of military officers (The Shadows of Kemal) arranged a coup and dissolved the National Assembly and dismissed the Prime Minister. To counter the growing tide of terrorism in the country, they instituted strict martial law and jailed (and was later discovered, tortured) thousands of dissidents. The measures worked beyond expectations, as “politically motivated terrorist acts” decreased from 4500 in 2004-2005 to 432 in 2006.

The coup officers gathered a group of conservative ministers to draft a new constitution. The result, in late 2006, was a model of Kemalist thought, with great emphasis on state control and secularism. The new constitution was passed with a 65% referendum majority, and adopted in early 2007. The new government worked to increase mega-corporation interest in Turkey, and spur foreign investment and trade. All of these policies were dealt a death blow by the first VITAS outbreak in 2010.

The effects of VITAS in Turkey were crushing. While modern medical training and care were widely available in the cities, the rural population had no such care, and came in a human tide to the cities. The influx of people left the city leaders with no choice but to allow the construction of huge gecekondu (shantytowns). The huge numbers of people, and unsanitary conditions had the expected results: VITAS death rates doubled, then tripled. The final death toll for the plague was in excess of 4 million.

The government’s inability to stem the tide of VITAS deaths, and to provide citizens with protection from the growing number of lawless and brutal bandits, led to the downfall of the young Kemalist state in 2012. Once again, under public pressure, the Army stepped in to give the protection for which the people clamored. Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, and all of his ministers, were arrested, and the Assembly disbanded in June of that year. Martial law was instituted, and would continue until 2015.

During the period of martial law, several different factions strove to influence the military leaders to throw the support of the Army behind their various parties. In 2015, General Kenan Evren, the head of the military junta, gave formal support to the Islamic-based National Order Party. With the junta’s prestige and support, the National Order Party took 79% of the popular vote, and 395 seats in the Assembly.

One of the first acts of the new government was to reject the concept of a secular state, and vastly increase the influence and presence of religious observance in daily life. Ties were strengthened with other countries such as the Theocracy of Iran, which followed a policy of religious fundamentalism. While Turkey’s government was not leaning that far toward fundamentalism, the balance was tipped into the slide with the destruction of Tehran by the greater dragon Aden in 2020, and the emergence of “goblinization” in 2021.

The populace was uncomfortable with the appearance of elves and dwarves in 2011, but they were tolerated. However, the appearance of orks and trolls started the cries of “the wrath of Allah brought down on the unbelievers”, and the country became much more dependent on the religious leaders to convert life to a more orthodox style. Another outbreak of VITAS in 2022, with another 1.5 million dead, cemented the fundamental, orthodox lifestyle in Turkey.

The internal political and religious convulsions in the country, and the shattering of infrastructure by the massive deaths and civil disorder following the second VITAS plague left Turkey a weak and tottering state. The years between 2022 and the beginning of the Euro Wars in 2030 saw government leaders frantically attempting to rebuild the infrastructure and confidence of the country. This was difficult because the weakened state of the country left it an inviting target for cross border raids from Armenian, Azerbaijani and Iranian rebel groups. The sole noteworthy success of the Army during this time was the invasion and conquering of Cyprus.

When the Euro Wars broke out in 2030, government leaders strove to keep a neutral position. The price of that position was paid in 2031. As part of the Russian Republic’s drive across Belarus toward Europe, a southern Guards Army Corps was dispatched to punch into Turkey, and drive up the coast of the Black Sea to Istanbul. Under pressure from the Russian Republic for free access to the Mediterranean, and from Army leaders who could not stop the massive Russian attack into Turkish territory, Turkey declared Istanbul a free city and granted Russia and its allies a 50km wide strip of land along the southern coast of the Black Sea for safe passage.

The government was never able to regain its lost prestige with the Turkish people. While it didn’t topple (still having military backing), its policies became more and more ineffective. After the cease fire of 2033, Russia retained its presence in Istanbul, and the access strip on the coast of the Black Sea. Since that time, the civilian government has become less able to enforce its policies, and local “warlords” have become the more effective form of local government.