The Effects of Early Republican Period Political System on Democracy in Türkiye in the Context of Elite Power and Political Culture in Contemporary Political Sociology

Abstract

The issue of elitist power, one of the important issues of political sociology, is based on a dual form of power in which a minority that considers itself privileged manages, decides, and manipulates large masses because they are "not mature enough politically". This distinction also emerges in differentiating the norms that make up the political culture between the elites and the masses. The elitist tendencies that have left their mark on the political life of Türkiye since the Ottoman modernization experienced its historical peak in the single-party period. According to T. H Marshall's category of citizenship processes, in the early republican period, rights were formed mostly at the economic level, and there was an ongoing historical struggle to reverse the teaching of the elitist center over political power for the development of civil and political rights that constitute the mature mechanisms of citizenship. Since the 1980s, concepts such as demilitarization, identity, belonging, and citizenship rights have historically increased at global and national levels. The period between 1980-2000 created a fertile climate even though it progressed with breaks and returns regarding civil society and citizenship concepts. However, a process emerged where economic models and economic development did not progress in coordination with this breakthrough, the function of the state to protect social welfare was eroded, and thus democracy was blocked. However, after the 2000s, a political climate was created in which economic stability was established, welfare policies were strengthened, identity policies made a breakthrough besides social rights, and inclusive citizenship was established in which elitist politics were eliminated and demilitarization increased.