The piece presents and contextualizes a private letter written by Vehbi Koç, one of Turkey’s most powerful industrialists, to General Kenan Evren, leader of the military junta that came to power in the coup of September 12, 1980. The letter, reproduced here in full English translation, offers a rare window into how big business engaged with authoritarian rule — advising on labor law, unions, energy policy, taxation, and the suppression of political opposition.

The article situates the document within Turkey‘s turbulent political history, from the one-party era of the early Republic through successive military coups, and draws comparisons to other cases of authoritarian capitalism worldwide, including Pinochet‘s Chile and Park Chung Hees South Korea. A core question runs through the piece: why do business groups collaborate with authoritarian regimes?

The article also includes a teaching section with structured classroom exercises — making it a valuable resource for courses on modern Turkish history, comparative authoritarianism, and political economy.

The article is open access and available via The American Historical Review: