Turkish secularism was maintained by military intervention against repeated Islamist challenges.

Evidence

The assumed secularism of the new Turkish Republic and its hegemony over the state has been challenged repeatedly and saved only by the interference of the military. During the late 1990s the Islamist challenge to the hegemony of the secular state was successful and they in fact took over power for a few short months. — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 3478 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Confronted by rising Islamist sentiment, Turkey’s rulers attempted to adopt fundamentalist practices and co-opt fundamentalist support. In the 1980s and 1990s the supposedly secular Turkish government maintained an Office of Religious Affairs with a budget larger than those of some ministries, financed the construction of mosques, required religious instruction in all public schools, and provided funding to Islamic schools, which quintupled in number during the 1980s, enrolling about 15 percent of secondary school children, and which preached Islamist doctrines and produced thousands of graduates, many of whom entered government service. — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 401 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Turkey marketed itself as a secular Muslim counter-model to Iran and Russia; Turkish secularism was only sustained by repeated military intervention. — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 3478; Secular Turkey’s government heavily funded Islamic religious institutions to co-opt Islamists. — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 401 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Turkish secularism was only sustained by repeated military intervention. #corroborates (0.95) — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 3478
• Secular Turkey’s government heavily funded Islamic religious institutions to co-opt Islamists. #complicates (0.78) — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 401
• Secular Muslim rulers adopted Islamic identity rhetorically to compete with Islamists #complicates (0.76)
• Secular Muslim rulers co-opted Islamic symbols to counter Islamist challengers. #complicates (0.75) — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 315