Corruption and political decay

Before I begin my article, I would like to clarify the concept of “corruption.”

Corruption is defined as the act of providing money or similar rewards to a public official endowed with certain powers to facilitate future tasks, thereby turning certain practices in one's favor and ultimately causing harm to the state. Sometimes, it is also corruption when a public official holding public power grants tenders to their political supporters for future political calculations. Remaining indifferent to corruption is, in itself, an encouragement of corruption.

In our view, the concept of corruption encompasses all methods resorted to in order to avoid high moral values and laws in a way that leads to undesirable harm, through the use of public power in line with private interests, private preferences, prestige, or the interests of a specific group or class. However, while those who participate in this process always gain, those who remain outside of it always lose. Today, this type of corruption is called “Meritocracy” (a system of promotion based on achievement).

There is a causal link between political decay, rent-seeking, and corruption. These are three major diseases in society.

It is an inevitable fact that political decay becomes more evident in the functioning of the political decision-making process. The most important reason for this is that the relationships between the actors involved in the political process (politicians, bureaucrats, pressure groups, political parties, and the government) cannot be seen very clearly.

It is clear how widespread political decay is in our country and how deeply it has permeated our lives. In our country, market processes are used less than political processes, and calls are constantly made to further expand political processes in the name of concepts and theories such as a misunderstood democracy and social justice. Politics is neither the product of the most sublime human activity nor the highest human value. It is neither the only nor the best way to do things that are beneficial, good, and beautiful for humanity. Every area of human life should not be made a subject of politics. It may not be possible to solve every problem through political processes. If political processes are not well-defined and limited, they create more problems than they solve. Therefore, our perspective on politics in our country must change.

Political decay is defined as the behavior and actions of actors involved in the political decision-making process (voters, politicians, bureaucrats, interest and pressure groups) that violate existing legal, religious, moral, and cultural norms in society for the purpose of securing “private interests.”

Political decay manifests in various forms and types within the political process. Behaviors and actions such as bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, political favoritism, service favoritism, patronage, rent-seeking, leaking public secrets, profiteering, and political chicanery can be cited as examples of political decay.

Our country is governed by representative democracy. Representative democracy is not a regime where political power and authority are used without limit or responsibility, and it certainly should not be. Citizens can delegate the power and authority they possess to others—that is, to administrators—through an approval mechanism. This does not mean that administrators have no limits on their power and authority.

Under the conditions of our country, it is a great misconception to perceive the existence of an electoral system and a voting mechanism as reaching the true will of the people. There are some factors that prevent the true will of the people from being reached in such elections. These can be summarized as:

• The indifference of some voters to politics

• The lack of knowledge or ignorance of some voters regarding politics

• Politicians distorting voters' preferences through political manipulation (lying, deceitful propaganda, excessive information provision, secrecy, cover-ups, etc.)

For these and other similar reasons, it is a great mistake and misconception to treat the existence of electoral systems as true democracy and to oppose placing limits on the “will of the people” (the will and decisions of actual politicians).

In conclusion, in order to prevent corruption and political decay and to initiate a restructuring process by ensuring transparency in administration;

• The right to information must be a political right and must be guaranteed by the state in the constitution.

• Public institutions and organizations must prepare a detailed report on their activities at least once a year and present it to the public.

• Citizens should be able to attend municipal council meetings where public decisions are made.

• Criminal sanctions for decay in the form of secrecy and cover-ups in public administration must be clearly included in the laws.

Additionally

• Enact a state ethics law as soon as possible

• Laws to audit political decay and prevent political decay must be created immediately

• An ombudsman institution must be established immediately to ensure intra-party democracy

• A political judiciary institution must be established to ensure intra-party democracy

• The obligation to declare assets must be made applicable and effective

• The income and assets of high-level public officials should be placed under a trustee.

• The tender system must be changed immediately

• Laws that will bring the informal economy into the formal sector must be enacted as soon as possible.

These suggestions can be multiplied further. Today, in modern democracies, the political pollution experienced in the political decision-making process has reached serious and dangerous dimensions. The deterioration of political ethics and the increasing prevalence of political decay affect all layers of society. Unfortunately, the type, quality, and dimensions of political compromise are increasing every day. In modern democracies today, political favoritism, service favoritism, vote trading (logrolling), lobbying, rent-seeking, currying favor (suasion), political manipulation, and similar decay have unfortunately become our way of life.

In order to establish political ethics, prevent corruption, and eliminate political decay, a restructuring reform in public administration must be carried out by determining common values in political life, just as in social life, and above all, by ensuring social cooperation and consensus.

In our country, which is in search of clean politics and a clean society, there is an urgent need for a new social vision and social mission to carry out legal reform, for a bright Turkey…

Prof. Dr. Duran BÜLBÜL