The Reflection of The Wealth Tax in the Turkish Novel

Turkey experienced a serious economic crisis during the Second World War. During this period, defense expenditures increased and agricultural production plummeted. First in Ankara and then in Istanbul, bread was given out in rations and essential goods such as flour, sugar, and medicine became hard to find. Life became very expensive, and a black market emerged from these circumstances. New and unusual tax programs had to be implemented in order to meet the demands of the war time economy. The wealth tax that was introduced for this purpose is not very different from the tax laws implemented in Europe during times of war. The wealth tax left indelible memories on society during this period. The memories, emotions, and thoughts created by the wealth tax appear in novels of the period. This study examines novels that document emotions related to the wealth tax, which is one of the most controversial topics of Turkish economic history.