DEMOCRATIZATION PROCESS IN TURKEY AND ITS REFLECTIONS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH/DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Whether country management styles have an effect on macroeconomic indicators has been examined by many economists, sociologists and politicians, and some conclusions have emerged from the evaluations made. In a significant part of these studies, it has been emphasized that democratic management forms have a positive effect on economic growth and development. According to traditional economic theories, political stability, military coups or interventions, as well as terrorist pressure and oligarchic structure dominance are among the important variables that affect economic life and economic analysis. Although these elements seem to be independent of the economy, they are among the factors that negatively affect the economic development and growth of the countries, as well as the political stability of the countries. In this article, the effects of the developments in the democratization process in Turkey's recent history on the economic structure will be emphasized. First of all, the economic performance of the Republican People's Party (CHP) government, which started from the foundation of the Republic and continued for 27 years, was discussed. After that, the economic performance that took place during the period of the Democrat Party (DP) government, which started after the 1950 elections, which was accepted as the starting date of the democratization process in Turkey and continued between 1950-1960, was evaluated from the perspective of democratization. The 1965-1969 period, when the Adalet (Justice) Party (AP), which was seen as the continuation of the DP after the 1960 military coup, was in power alone, and the Anatavan (Homeland) Party (ANAP) administration, which was in government between the years 1983-1991 after the 1980 military coup, are the periods when the relationship between democratization and economic growth was evaluated. Finally, it has been examined as a process in which the relationship between democratization and economic growth with the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) government, which started in late 2002, after the 1990s, when the economic crises, terrorist incidents, political instability and the 28 February Process, which is known as the postmodern coup, were experienced.