Democracy in Turkey

13/11/2014

Ottoman Empire

Turkish Republic 1923

Turkey is governed since 10 years by a conservative religious government with a turning to a dictator leader

1) Rights of the person

Honor killings

Life, liberty and security of the people are partially assured . But:- The governement and social organizations are still fighting against “ tore cinayeti” ie morder in the family of wife’s and young girls under the pretext that they have behaved wrongly and blessed the family honor.

1) Rights of the person

Freedom of religious teaching and practice in pubic is very much present. The question is whether the freedom of non practicing muslim’s life styles are assured in this system.

The systematical islamization of the country bears many examples: After in bureaucracy, universities and parliament, now girls can also go to the high school covered .At any of the government related institution let be museums restaurants official dinners, alcohol is not served already since many years.

Systematical islamization of the country

TURKEY- COUNTRY OF CONTRADICTIONS

70 million headscarves sold each year, 1million dollar market size

Vehbi Koc Derby

WHAT WE CALL HIGH SOCIETY

WHAT WE CALL HIGH SOCIETY

1) Rights of the person

Control on internet

Freedom of thought is still a topic because Turkey has witnessed in the past and present many writers, thinkers and scholars going to jail because of their thoughts.

A current issue was the law proposal of the government on controlling the internet and website contents is overruled by the constitutional court recently in October

The government is trying to control more and more the private life of individuals: newly installed control on cesarian births or the president obsession of imposing 3 children to each each family are some examples.

1) Rights of the person

Ownership of property of foreigners is allowed since 2003. However the major part of the land in Turkey is owned by the state and state /ottoman foundations. Turkey is the 55th country out of 182 in the ranking of how easy is to establish a business in a country.

2)Rights associated with rule of law

400 military in jail

arbitrary arrest is a common practice. Because of the operations ‘ ergenekon” , “balyoz” and alike, there are still 400 military ( out of which 36 generals) in Turkish jails , without proven accusations.

3) Political rights

The Turkish government has scored very badly during last year’s Gezi Park demonstrations starting in Istanbul in May 2013 and spreading to all over Turkey (79 cities out of 81) during 1 month. Among 2,5 million participants 4900 have been arrested and 4000 people were injured.

Occupy Gezi

3) Political rightsThere are some left wing, Kurdish nationalist and religious parties banned through extraordinary courts or the Constitutional Court in Turkey.

To be presented in the Parliement there is a 10% national vote threshold barrier still in the elections law. Currently there are 5 parties represented in the parliament vs 34 parties outside the parliament.

4) Economic and social rights

There are around 10 million people ( out of 77 million population ) who live under the poverty standards in Turkey but overall the average GDP per capita has increase from 703 dollars in 1970 to 10653 dollars in 2012 and 15578 dollars in 2013 on PPP base.

WHAT IS TRENDY IN ISTANBUL- KANYON

WHAT IS TRENDY IN ISTANBUL- ISTINYEPARK

4) Economic and social rights

Social Security: Turkey has introduced in 2012 the obligation of a general health insurance for everybody who lives in Turkey( which will take into account 1,7 million not insured) this also allows those who cannot afford to pay any health insurance, benefit from the health services.

Trade unions: bureactrats and those who work in publich services don’t have the right of strike and they cannot unionize.

Free elementary education is assured. Especially now with the religious schools ( Imam Hatip Okullari)

5)Self determination and protection of minority cultures

Tthere are 15 million kurds in Turkey and they are not considered minority. However Turkey is fighting an inner war since more than 10 years in the south eastern part of the country. Kurds have their rights to use their language and protect their culture however the school system doesn’t allow them to studying Kurdish in Turkey.

The developments in the region towards creating a Kurdish state between Syria, Irak and Turkey is a major problem where the Turkish government insists on the integrity of the borders drawn in 1923 with the creation of the Turkish Republic.

Development and democracy

Knowing that the democracy is not necessarily profilactic for business development, China and Turkey have performed their biggest economic growth under liberal economy- authoritarian systems.

The economies which will dominate the world in 2050 are :1° China, 2° US, 3° India 4° Japan 5° Germany and Turkey ranking no 12 with a 2,2 trillion dollar economy at par with Italy according to the projections of HSBC.