Birimiz hepimiz, hepimiz birimiz için mi? Dağınık bir siyasetin topluma sunduğu elde kalan tutkal: Klientalist ağlar

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the role of clientelism in Turkish politics. More specifically, it aims to explore how clientelism has served in the socialization of Turkish people by drawing from a diverse array of examples from Turkish political history. The paper starts out by arguing that the clientelist networks in Turkey have been shaped by traditional motives and thus initially helped the single party regime of the newly established Turkish Republic to connect with the masses through the brokerage of peripheral notables. The second emphasis of the essay is on the distributiori of materials and services after the transition to the multiparty regime in 1946. It is during this period that clientelism eased the tension between social groups and helped the periphery to become a part of the political arena; thus contributing to the political stability in Turkey. The study then examines the effect of the 1980 military coup and the following neoliberal economic policies on the existing and newly developing clientelist networks. Finally, the study is concluded with a sketch of the reaction of the clientelist structure to the domination of Turkish politics by Islamist groups.