The Republic of Turkey's planned development experience

The planned development period of the Republic of Turkey began even before the Republic was proclaimed. The İzmir Economic Congress was held on February 17, 1923. The foundation for the planned and public-oriented development approach of the Republic of Turkey, which was to be established, was laid at this congress. A development plan was prepared for the first time in the world. This plan, which began in 1931, was implemented between 1933 and 1937. The second industrial development plan was prepared for the years 1938-1942 under the personal direction of Atatürk while he was on his sickbed. The subsequent planned development period was prepared as a five-year plan for the years 1963-1967. The introduction to this plan states the following:

“Turkey has entered a period of planned development within a democratic order.

The effort to realize the desire for development within the framework of plans and programs is not a new event in the history of this country. The plans prepared during the years of the Republic have helped in achieving important and successful results.

Today, there is a great desire for development in Turkish society. The painful consequences that unplanned actions can cause have led to the adoption of planning as the indispensable path to development. The inclusion of planning and the relevant planning institution in the constitutional structure is a clear indication of this.

There have been major developments in economic and social planning techniques in the world. Significant steps have been taken in the experiences of planned development within a democratic order. In Turkey's new initiative, great importance has been attached to evaluating these experiences gained globally.

In the preparation of the Development Plan, the Plan Targets and Strategy, which indicate the economic and social goals that the Turkish society is expected to reach within fifteen years, the tools to be used to achieve them, and the basic principles to be followed in the use of these tools, have been taken as a basis.

The goals and principles in the Plan Targets and Strategy are based on a development that will be realized by utilizing the opportunities of a mixed economy within a democratic order, while keeping the society's problems and resources in mind.

Turkey's social structure is changing rapidly. This change is leading to the emergence of the society's major problems. The population is increasing at a very high rate of 3 percent per year.

Large masses are living in very poor conditions and are deprived of the tools of civilization.

It is essential to meet the needs of the poor masses, who are growing in number with population growth, and to raise their standard of living.

An increasing number of people reach working age every year; they join a labor force for which even today it is difficult to find jobs. It is necessary to create new job areas where they can work.

If timely solutions proportional to their importance cannot be found for all these problems, insurmountable situations will be encountered in the future. Turkey's income level is low. It is difficult to solve these problems in a satisfactory way at this income level. In this respect, the most important issue to focus on is to raise the income level in order to increase the resources directed toward solving these problems.

Public expectations, which emerge as a desire for a better life, have made the rise in income level a fundamental condition of social order.

It has become mandatory to exert all necessary efforts to ensure a high rate of development so that the Turkish nation can reach a standard of living compatible with human dignity and live under conditions worthy of its honor.

Solving these problems within a not-too-long period depends only on realizing a high rate of development. However, there are many factors that limit the increase of the development rate to a large extent. Taking into account Turkey's resources and the possibilities of mobilizing them, an average annual development rate of around 7 percent has been taken as a target.

With this development rate, the goals adopted by society can only be reached in a long period, but an important and decisive step will have been taken in this direction.

Realizing the accepted development rate depends only on making a collective effort and enduring some sacrifices. The Turkish nation has always shown success by acting collectively and in a disciplined manner, and by enduring sacrifices together. A decision has been made to enter a path of conscious development and to walk this path with courage.

The Development Plan has been prepared in a way that ensures a fair distribution of income in sharing the burden of development and benefiting from the products of development. In this way, development will be directed toward establishing a balanced social order in accordance with democratic principles.

Collective development can only be achieved with an organization that will realize it. The principles of the fundamental reforms and reorganization movements that will fulfill this condition are specified in the Plan Targets and Strategy.

The Development Plan shows the resources to be mobilized to reach a 7 percent growth rate per year in accordance with the principles of social justice, the ways to use them, the necessary reorganizations in various fields, and the measures to be taken as an interconnected whole.”

Now, we better understand the result of lack of planning; why we have become impoverished, the economic crises, and the reason for the parties' imposition of growth through debt instead of development.