Marxist theory suggests that class relations are the fundamental factor behind self-consciousness and social identity. These determine who relates with whom and with what to carve a personal living space and the social cohort identified with. This is called class consciousness, and it shapes one’s world view and political agenda.Given this brief description, one expects several things from the middle class: 1-Escalation to higher levels on the social ladder. 2-Universalism in values and a desire to be part of the world (modernity, if you like). 3-To mediate between the upper (ruling) class and lower classes to curb potential conflict of interest and search for equality. With this role, one expects that the middle class would be a potent instrument of democracy. In this capacity the middle class is expected to be conciliatory between different ethnic, religious and political groups. 3-To mobilize lower social echelons and lead them to build a more egalitarian, participatory and liberal political system so that the potential oppression and exploitation of the ruling (or upper) class and the state apparatus under its influence is controlled.
None of these are taking place in Turkey. That is why reforms and democratization is limping and valuable time is being lost. Let me convey a few sentences from a get together I attended last night with physicians and engineers.
“Who is threatening us?”
“The US.”
“What shall we do about it?”
“We’ve got to nuke it.”
“Who will do it?”
“I can” (an engineer).
“Who is running Turkey?”
“Fethullah Gülen, covertly using the Justice and Development Party [AK Party]” (a physician).
“What should be done about it?”
“A coup must be encouraged” (collectively).
“What about the 47 percent popular support behind it?”
“There is no such thing. Those who look modern and act liberal are boosting the AK Party’s position; if it weren’t for them, the AK Party government would have been done a long time ago” (implying people like myself).
This is the state of affairs and mindset of the social class I belong to. They have given up on the liberal intellectuals and the society that has produced them and the AK Party. They want none of us although we are quite different. It is not that we are estranged from them; they are estranged from us and everything that does not fit into their mindset.
This class rules no more. It can no longer manipulate the masses. Its loss of power and privilege and the fact that its members feel that they have been disowned by the majority has made them hate the society at large. They feel they are drifting without a destination and they are dangerous in the sense that they hope the army would seize power on their behalf and set the clock back to the 30s and 40s when they were omnipotent and unaccountable. The Turkish middle class hardly seems to be the vanguard of democracy and reconciliation -- or modernization for that matter. Why has this class regressed so much ideologically and politically?
In the void of an “upper class” (aristocracy and bourgeoisie) following the demise of the Ottoman Empire, the bureaucracy, a middle class stratum took over and played the role of the ruling class or the power elite. The power and privilege of this stratum prevailed until 1950, the year when multiparty politics began. Competitive elections started to bring suppressed social demands and new recruits from the populace into a system strictly controlled by the mainly bureaucratic power elite.
From that point on the “progressive,” the “Western[izing]” and “modern[izing]” middle class ceased to be progressive, modern and Western because the West began to demand that the Turkish middle class ruling elite adopt principles and standards that would undermine its grip on society such as democracy, human rights, pluralism and the rule of law.
Nowadays both social realities that were overlooked and historical realities that were denied are taking revenge on the politics of the old elite. The only safe harbor they can seek refuge in is another coup which they engineered every 10 years in the past.
