Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s Wealth

Abstract

To set an example, Atatürk undertook enterprising in the economic fields of banking and agriculture. For this end, he founded Türkiye İş Bankası and also sample farms in different regions which have different climatic conditions, with the money as part of the financial aids from India, that was submitted to himself. Atatürk made sure that a law that enabled him to donate freely his wealth that was constituted by the aids sent from India without leaving it to his legal inheritors was issued. After they grew into certain standarts, Atatürk donated the farms to the Treasury to contribute to the state enterprises in the field of agriculture. This act of donation was greatly appreciated both at the Parliament and in media. İsmeat İnönü, though he too appreciated the donation at the time, later told that they had some problems with Atatürk concerning the transfer of the farms. There was a harsh debate between İnönü and Atatürk at the Board of Ministers due to these farms. A few days after this debate, on Atatürk's demand, İsmet İnönü was, first, away from his office of the Prime Minister temporarily and, almost one month later, resigned from his office foor good. Atatürk left his cash and share capital, his movable property and real estates in Çankaya to Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi, in his will. He wished to donate, while he was alive, his houses that were made a present to him in different cities to municipalities and official institutions, and for this, he waited to be back in Ankara. However, his ailing health did not allow him to go back to Ankara, and after his death, houses that were presented to him as gifts at different times were transferred to his sister as she was his legal inheritor. Nevertheless, later, these houses were bought and changed into museums by the official institutions.