A little rice, a little democracy!

At a time when studying business and economics was the most popular choice, I insistently chose to enroll in the Journalism Department. I am a graduate of the Ankara University Faculty of Communication, Department of Journalism.

Sometimes I think, I wish I had studied at this school not at 18, but at a more mature age, while keeping the same professors. Did I fully grasp what Mümtaz Soysal taught in Constitutional Law with my 18-year-old mind?

In a Turkey caught between conscience and hypocrisy, when Ahmet Taner Kışlalı emphasized how true journalism should be practiced on that fine line, was I able to give it my full attention?

In the first hour of the “Introduction to Political Science” course, Ahmet Taner Kışlalı said this to us students, who had come from different provinces and different high schools:

“Young people, you should be worried when you are silent and cowed. That is why you will raise your voices in this classroom. You will take the floor and speak about the country's political agenda. Everyone is free to express their opinion. But you will also listen to those who have different opinions. The first half hour will be our discussion time!”

There were many debates in that classroom. For four years, we were kneaded with a culture of democracy. Many of us learned the culture of democracy from Ahmet Taner Kışlalı. Even though we all scattered into very different media groups years later, we have always been proud to be students of Ahmet Taner Kışlalı. Who wasn't among us; Fatih Polat, Mücahit Aslan, Cüneyt Özdemir, Işın Gürel, Tuba Atav, Serdar Cebe, Murat Çelik… We were a very colorful class! Throughout our university life, we always debated with each other within a “culture of democracy.”

When the journalist Uğur Mumcu came to our school to give a speech, he spoke about the culture of democracy as follows:

“We are receiving democracy partially. It's like a little bit of rice!”

THOSE WHO DEMAND A LITTLE DEMOCRACY ARE CONDEMNED TO FORESTFLATION!

While reading economist Mahfi Eğilmez’s article on “perceived inflation,” I was reminded of the “culture of democracy” that our two precious journalists and academic intellectuals, Uğur Mumcu and Ahmet Taner Kışlalı—who were murdered by bombs placed in their vehicles—tried to instill in us students.

The culture of democracy begins with freedom of expression. There are four pillars that keep democracy standing: Legislative, executive, judiciary, and the press! Think of them like the four legs of a table… If one of these four legs collapses, it remains standing only partially. If two collapse, it cannot maintain its balance. If three legs break and collapse, it cannot stand. If all four legs are broken, the table topples over.

Each of the products in the “inflation basket” sitting on the toppled table flies off in a different direction. To put them back on the table, one must first strengthen the legs of the table: the legislative, executive, judiciary, and the press organs that defend the truth!

In a collapsing democracy, unfortunately, values also collapse quickly. In a table where competition law, ethics, and morality no longer exist, what Mahfi Eğilmez refers to as SKIMPFLATION emerges;

The phenomenon of a lower-value good being sold at the same price, which arises from the reduction of product quality as inflation increases!

Butter mixed with margarine, meat injected with water, honey mixed with sugar water, cheddar cheese mixed with potatoes, ground meat mixed with horse and donkey meat, yogurt with gelatin, and many more…

In a little democracy, inflation is not real. Because in a little democracy, real inflation data is not disclosed.

In a little democracy, only “perceived inflation” estimates can be made, much like a weather forecast.

Unfortunately, the inflation, which is felt by citizens to be twice as high, has still not angered our people. Because as Uğur Mumcu said,

“We want a little democracy, like a little bit of rice…”

We know full well that the perceived inflation is actually the real inflation. But as long as we do not seek our rights, the ever-increasing new type of inflation will strike us.

Along with the collapse of the legislative, executive, judiciary, press, morality, ethics, and values, comes the price formation where new laws of the jungle apply: “Forestflation”!

What shall we do?

Those who demand a little democracy are condemned to forestflation!