Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
RECENT PERIOD TURKISH STUDIES-YAKIN DONEM TURKIYE ARASTIRMALARI, sa.48, ss.219-237, 2025 (ESCI, Scopus, TRDizin)
This study examines T & uuml;rkiye's integration into the US-led hegemonic order following World War II through the lens of the Seyhan Dam construction. While the Republic of T & uuml;rkiye adopted resolutions to align with the priorities of the hegemonic power, the United States - namely trade liberalization, private sector primacy, and democratic restructuring within the framework of the Bretton Woods system - it also sought to utilize the recommendations of the Thornburg (1949) and Barker (1951) reports for resolving structural economic issues. Both reports advocated that T & uuml;rkiye should prioritize the agricultural sector and light industrial investments for its economic development. Consistent with this perspective, they argued against large-scale dam projects, such as the Seyhan Dam, regarding irrigation investments. Conversely, the report prepared by Democrat Party (DP) Deputy for Bursa, Mithat San (1951), and submitted to the government, emphasized the strategic importance of the Seyhan Dam for T & uuml;rkiye's development and underscored its necessity. According to San's report, the Seyhan Dam would not only support agricultural development but also facilitate regional industrial advancement through hydroelectric generation, resolve the seasonal labor issue by creating employment, and alleviate the housing shortage by enabling the growth of the cement industry. Thus, the Seyhan Dam was projected to accelerate economic and social development alongside agricultural progress. Consequently, considering San's report and the Council of Ministers' decision to proceed with the construction, it is evident that, contrary to the recommendations of the Thornburg and Barker reports, the Republic of T & uuml;rkiye prioritized not only agriculture-based development policies but also industrialization strategies.