Social Classes and the Neo-Liberal Poverty Regime in Turkey, 2002–2011

Abstract

The Justice and Development Party (or AKP) era in Turkey has witnessed the emergence of a new welfare regime resting on voluntary public and private transfers. This system has been replacing the former welfare system in which the right to social welfare benefits was constitutionally guaranteed. The new welfare system has tended to distribute transfers on a selective and unequal basis. This article analyses the size and effects of this system using a social class-based analytical framework. In explaining class structure in Turkey, we use the official Household Budget Survey database. The results indicate a massive process of proletarianisation has taken place. Our results indicate that the working classes have constituted the majority of the poor. In this environment, the shares of voluntary public and private transfers in the incomes of households have been rising. For some classes, like rural unemployed, urban unemployed and agricultural labourers, these transfers have captured a very high share of the incomes. These transfers have also been distributed very unequally. Their share in the central budget has also been rising. All these point to the emergence of a new neo-liberal welfare (poverty) regime as part of a new labour control regime.

Turning crisis into opportunity? The Syrian refugee crisis and evolution of welfare policy for refugees in Turkey from a public choice theory perspective

“…According to Buğra (2018) the current approach to social policy is shaped more by the question ‘how to live with the poor?’ rather than how to create an equal society in contemporary Turkey. Bahçe and Köse (2017) likewise argue that under the AKP governments a new welfare regime emerged, which utilises voluntary public and private transfers to mitigate impoverishment and deprivation. ‘This regime has been distributing these transfers in a very unequal and selective manner’, strengthening paternalist and clientelist relations (Bahçe and Köse, 2017: 589).…”

“…Bahçe and Köse (2017) likewise argue that under the AKP governments a new welfare regime emerged, which utilises voluntary public and private transfers to mitigate impoverishment and deprivation. ‘This regime has been distributing these transfers in a very unequal and selective manner’, strengthening paternalist and clientelist relations (Bahçe and Köse, 2017: 589).…”

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“…Despite the mismanagement of the economy in the long run, the AKP has held onto its constituency from the lower classes until at least 2018 by reforming the welfare state, increasing lower-class access to bank loans and credit cards and distributing social assistance to the poor through charities, philanthropic organisations and private donors (Özdemir 2015, 10-24). These policies have led to mixed results for the lower classes: on the one hand, breaking their possible organised resistance, and on the other, awarding material benefits in exchange for party loyalty (Akcay 2018;Bahçe and Köse 2017;Bozkurt 2013;Eder 2014).…”

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“…See also,(Adaman and Akbulut, 2021;Adaman, Arsel and Akbulut, 2018;Akçay, 2018;Bahçe and Köse, 2017).…”