Social Policy Change in Countries without Mature Welfare States: The Case of Turkey

Abstract

As part of the institutional changes in Turkey since the 1980s that laid down the foundations of a market economy, the transformation of the social security system has recently come on the agenda. This article discusses the possible outcome of this transformation by situating the case of Turkey in the context of the contemporary international social policy environment shaped by neo-liberal globalization.It is possible to suggest that throughout the world a new system of welfare governance has recently emerged, which is characterized, first, by a novel emphasis on workfare as opposed to welfare. It modifies, second, redistributive action by the state through diverse partnerships between the state, private sector and voluntary initiatives in the provision of social care and public services. The impact of this new system of welfare governance on social policy is especially important in less developed countries where the role of the state in welfare provision is recently being taken more seriously. With the new emphasis on workfare accompanied by the increasing role of non-state actors, the newly introduced social policy measures might not necessarily consolidate the basis of citizenship rights but they might mainly serve to keep under control the socio-economic insecurity aggravated by the expansion of market relations. This observation is of particular significance for the analysis of the contemporary social policy environment in Turkey that this article presents.

Residential Mobility in Istanbul- B. A. Kipnis Revisited

“…However, poor households will find it more difficult to escape the most deprived areas because even if they move they will not have the resources to move to less deprived areas. This tendency also collapses one of the important as well as a unique integration way of integration of low status groups' into urban society (Buğra, 2008). If the connection between the patterns of residential moves and the socio-economic and demographic composition of neighbourhood is to be better understood then I need to focus on the role of movers on socio-economic and demographic changes in Istanbul.…”

“…By 1983, the year ANAP (Motherland Party 1983-1991) came to power, neoliberal policies were put into play and thus Turkey left 'a closed economic model based on heavy state intervention for a market-oriented development strategy' in the early 1980s (Buğra and Adar, 2008;Keyder, 2005). In the ANAP point of view, Istanbul started to be seen as the main gateway to the world for Turkey.…”

Interns and Infidels: The Transformation of Work and Citizenship in Turkey and the United States under Neo-liberalism

“…An "inegaliterian corporatist" welfare regime (Bugra and Adar, 2008) emerged when informal mechanisms emerged to complement the formal ones. These include family networks connecting migrant families to their relatives in rural areas, clientelist recruiting practices utilising ethnic and sectarian connections, and patronage relationships in which local political elites often turned a blind eye to illegal activities.…”

Engaging with Turkish Politics in a Changing World: Global Dynamics and Domestic Transformations by Fuat Keyman and Ziya Öniş

“…For discussions, see Buğra (2007), Çelik (2007), Buğra and Adar (2008), Kurt (2008), andTamer (2008). In passing it should be remarked that the issue of the Social Security and General Health Insurance Law enacted during the AKP government, which has entitled the whole population to healthcare, seems not to fit into the AKP's above-mentioned position.…”