Turkey Under Erdogan's Right Wing Neopopulism Analysis

Turkey under Erdogan’s right-wing neopopulism (2002 to present)
2001 financial crisis, which was the most severe crisis in the economic history of Turkey since World War II, was a major turning point in the economic history of Turkey: output collapsed, unemployment increased, and income distribution deteriorated. Existing coalition government immediately initiated a stabilization plan supported by IMF and deteriorated economic conditions in Turkey started to improve. Nevertheless, JDP as a newly-founded political party won the election with an unexpected majority of the seats in the legislature. To this point, the circumstances look quite similar with those in the era when Ozal came to the office. A severe financial crisis and a political crisis
Through this transformation, the poorest class of the society was provided with the expanded social aids. However, the way of providing social aid signaled the populist approach of Erdogan. Accordingly, social aid in Turkey transformed into the form of “charity”. Nevertheless, such a “charity” approach was sufficient to enhance Erdogan’s authority. In this regard, resources of the state, as if they were for the use of Erdogan to give “little” gifts from Erdogan for his fellow people, were used to attract and maintain the popular support. Since 2002, the number of charities and NGO’s whose purpose to fulfil the role of social aid left by the absence of a welfare state dramatically increased. Sosyal Yardimlasma ve Dayanismayi Tesvik Fonu (SYDTF) (Fund for Encouragement of Social Cooperation and Solidarity) became a key tool for implementing policies to alleviate poverty via extension of social assistance mechanisms. Social assistance programs are carried out as a substitute for welfare state functions, with charity groups and philanthropic associations taking over some state functions. Charity groups ad philanthropic associations were provided with a significant-level authority. For instance, in 2005 Deniz Feneri (Lighthouse) known as pro-religion and pro-government tendencies was given the authority and responsibility by the Council of Ministers: “to collect
This situation was quite advantageous for Erdogan since there was already no impediment for Erdogan to make direct and personal contact with “the people”. As Bozkurt asserts that ideological symbols and religious/cultural codes play a crucial role in the communication of Erdogan to sustain his hegemonic power over the masses and institutions (Bozkurt, 2013, p. 382). Erdogan often criticized previous governments because they have led economy such a catastrophic situation. He stressed how JDP government maintain the economic stability and growth. In addition to his emphasis on economic success of his government, Erdogan depending on ideological roots of his party, set an obvious antagonism toward those who Republican and secular elite and who implemented 28 February Process. 28 February Process called as “Turkey’s post-modern coup” aimed to save the secular republic against sanctions of Erbakan, radical Islamist president in time. After this era, wearing headscarf became the major agenda of Turkey and polarization between secular and Islamist part of society drastically increased. 28 February Process brought about several measures such as that wearing headscarf was forbidden in public institutions including universities and a sort of pressure on those wearing headscarf was created. In this respect,