The 1980 Coup d'État

Abstract

The 1980 coup d'état is seen as a turning point in terms of Turkey's social and economic history. If we are to understand the September 12 coup, we need more than an accounting of the murders committed, the tortures executed, and the human rights violated. Knowing whose side the junta was on, we must take it a step further and ask the following question: 'Why did the coup take place and against whom was it organized?' To answer this question, it is important to highlight the transformation the world has undergone since the 1970s. The traditional investment strategies for maximizing capital, which is able to move much faster than before due to new investment opportunities, changed rapidly. The fluidity of capital led to resource abandonment and to imperialist looting of the third world. Industrial production was transported to where the resources were, leading toward the end of 1970s to the emergence of free trade zones in both underdeveloped and developing countries. Thanks to these new opportunities, investors did not have to run off with foreign resources. By changing the investment location, capitalists could reduce both the cost of transportation and the cost of labor.