Expected “naysayers” in the upcoming referendum on constitutional change eight days from today seem to not only prefer driving on the latter type of road, but above all have decided to shift gears and continue their trip in reverse. Their journey’s motto may best be summarized not as back to the future, but as “steadfastly back to the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.”
This is even more surprising as if we take everything into account; Turkey has witnessed a remarkably encouraging, successful and positive last decade. Perhaps not all policy-making goals which the government had laid out before the electorate two years into the new millennium have been achieved as of yet, but the progress is significant nevertheless.
It is particularly noteworthy that progress came to those who needed it most. Only two examples out of an impressive list of new policies -- Turkey’s universal health care insurance system and the by now agreed on phasing-in of family physicians -- are necessary to see that rather than those circles of society who always had financial and social status, Turkey’s emerging and much-needed middle classes are benefiting. This, nor or any other, democratically elected Turkish government would wish to hinder free access to social mobility or access to financial or career-related rewards given to whose who have earned them.
However, social mobility and access to such benefits must be made available to all in society, and should not remain the domain of a 5-10 percent segment only. Turkey’s former self-styled elite would be well advised to take a break from their backward journey and consider the well-being of the entire nation, and not just their own. Continued economic progress and a country fully integrated into a globalized world is what their own children and grandchildren will ask for, too. The place to find all those provisions – aka the legal framework -- will one day soon be in Turkey’s new constitution. Until then, legal provisions put to the public on Sept. 12th may perhaps not be enough, but after that day and an expected “yes” vote the journey towards full civilian democratization is going to continue even further, and hopefully at a somewhat increased pace.
The one thing that I am not necessarily happy about is that all political actors turned what was supposed to be a public information campaign about Sept. 12, 2010, into a battle more appropriate for a general election. However, objective observers must concede that it was those circles that were afraid, above everything else, of losing their remaining, yet unmerited, privileges that began using the referendum as a plebiscite, not the present government. Then there was no choice but to react and try to set the record straight by highlighting in more general terms what the government has achieved over the last years. Let us hope that with a view to future topics which may require a public vote a certain kind of “referendum culture” will be put in place which clearly distinguishes between a single-issue referendum and a general election. A referendum should be reserved for serious issues only -- such as those matters to be put forward on Sept. 12 -- and should not become a substitute for everyday policy making. In this regard, Turkey should not attempt to transform itself into a second Switzerland.
I wish to return to my initial remarks about comparing democratization to a two-lane highway as opposed to a single-lane road. What surprises me is that those who decided to shift gears and would prefer to continue their journey in reverse have forgotten to take a look in the rear-view mirror. If they did, they would see that the road is blocked -- blocked by pro-democracy citizens who wish to travel further and faster. For those who wish to continue to obstruct the natural evolution towards a civilian democracy and to stay in my picture, why not re-take your driver’s qualification exam? Perhaps the questions have not all been modified but the correct answers have, for sure.
