1960s tax law and non-muslim exodus from Istanbul: Turkification of the city

Abstract

This chapter discusses the urban consequences of the expulsion of Istanbul Greeks in 1964. It demonstrates the urban impact of the 16 March 1964 decree that terminated the residence of 12, 000 Greek passport holders in Istanbul (a population of 40, 000 with their relatives), who were given 24 hours to leave the city and allowed to carry only 20 kilograms of belongings or US$22 with them. The event also alarmed many other non-Muslim families to emigrate from Istanbul, while the city was receiving a large influx of immigrants from rural lands due to the growing industrialization and urbanization. Akpinar discusses the urban planning interventions in Istanbul under the Menderes and subsequent governments throughout the 1950s and 1960s as ad-hoc or intentional steps toward Turkification, in which discrimination and the resulting emigration of Istanbul Greeks played a significant part. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Esra Akcan and Iftikhar Dadi; individual chapters, the contributors.