Patterns of Political Modernization and Turkish Democracy

Abstract

Patterns of Political Modernization and Turkish Democracy

Abstract

One of Britain's most realistic writers, G. Orwell, said on
one occasion "In the case of a word like democracy not only is
there no agreed definition, but the attempt to make one is
resisted from ali sides..."1
Nevertheless, if defining democracy
merely signifies giving the meaning of the word, the problem
is quickly solved, for ali that is required is some knowledge of
Greek. Literally democracy means "power of the people", that
the power belongs to the people. However, we also have to ask
what the term stands for. In 1949 a UNESCO inquiry into ideological conflicts concerning democracy issued the following
statement: "For the first time in the history of the world, 110-
doctrines are advanced as anti-democratic. Practical politicians
and political theorist agree in stressing the democratic element
in the institutions they' defend and the theories they advocate.
This acceptance of democracy as the highest form of political
or social organization is the sign of a basic agreement in the
ultimate aims of modern social and political institutions."2
Yet
the term continues to preoccupy political scientists and political
philosophers. The reason lies most probably in the undeniable
fact, that the majör components of democracy such as equality,
self government, sovereignity, representation, majority rule
encompass according to the prevailing "Zeitgeisf'a different
meaning.

Keywords

• Patterns
• Political Modernization
• Turkish Democracy