Analyzing the JDP Era through Class Struggles

Mertcan Şafak Sağlam

Makale detayları

Analyzing the JDP Era through Class Struggles

Yazarlar:

Mertcan Şafak Sağlam

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Political Science (Other)

Dergi:

Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences Vol.34 Issue 1, pp.117-133

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

11/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001347703

pISSN:

2618-6330

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Several significant social changes have occurred during the 21-year tenure of the Justice and Development Party JDP government in Turkey. However, the scholarship on this period either utterly disregards the working class or depicts it as a passive demographic that is only affected by these changes. In other words, in the literature, the working class lacks agency. To fill this gap, this study examines the JDP governments role in in relation to working class struggles. This analysis is based on labor protests between 2001 and 2019, obtained through newspaper reports of labor unrest. Based on this analysis, the JDP rule is divided into two periods: before and after 2010. In both periods, I illustrate that the working class was an agent of transformations, and it influenced transformations through bargaining processes and conflicts. In line with this analysis, this paper illustrates that the balance of power and class struggles between social classes constitutes an objective basis for understanding social and political transformations. Accordingly, based on new data, this study also contributes to the scholarly debate on authoritarianism, with an emphasis on the working-class agency.

 Several significant social changes have occurred during the 21-year tenure of the Justice and Development Party JDP government in Turkey. However, the scholarship on this period either utterly disregards the working class or depicts it as a passive demographic that is only affected by these changes. In other words, in the literature, the working class lacks agency. To fill this gap, this study examines the JDP governments role in in relation to working class struggles. This analysis is based on labor protests between 2001 and 2019, obtained through newspaper reports of labor unrest. Based on this analysis, the JDP rule is divided into two periods: before and after 2010. In both periods, I illustrate that the working class was an agent of transformations, and it influenced transformations through bargaining processes and conflicts. In line with this analysis, this paper illustrates that the balance of power and class struggles between social classes constitutes an objective basis for understanding social and political transformations. Accordingly, based on new data, this study also contributes to the scholarly debate on authoritarianism, with an emphasis on the working-class agency.

 Several significant social changes have occurred during the 21-year tenure of the Justice and Development Party JDP government in Turkey. However, the scholarship on this period either utterly disregards the working class or depicts it as a passive demographic that is only affected by these changes. In other words, in the literature, the working class lacks agency. To fill this gap, this study examines the JDP governments role in in relation to working class struggles. This analysis is based on labor protests between 2001 and 2019, obtained through newspaper reports of labor unrest. Based on this analysis, the JDP rule is divided into two periods: before and after 2010. In both periods, I illustrate that the working class was an agent of transformations, and it influenced transformations through bargaining processes and conflicts. In line with this analysis, this paper illustrates that the balance of power and class struggles between social classes constitutes an objective basis for understanding social and political transformations. Accordingly, based on new data, this study also contributes to the scholarly debate on authoritarianism, with an emphasis on the working-class agency.

 Several significant social changes have occurred during the 21-year tenure of the Justice and Development Party JDP government in Turkey. However, the scholarship on this period either utterly disregards the working class or depicts it as a passive demographic that is only affected by these changes. In other words, in the literature, the working class lacks agency. To fill this gap, this study examines the JDP governments role in in relation to working class struggles. This analysis is based on labor protests between 2001 and 2019, obtained through newspaper reports of labor unrest. Based on this analysis, the JDP rule is divided into two periods: before and after 2010. In both periods, I illustrate that the working class was an agent of transformations, and it influenced transformations through bargaining processes and conflicts. In line with this analysis, this paper illustrates that the balance of power and class struggles between social classes constitutes an objective basis for understanding social and political transformations. Accordingly, based on new data, this study also contributes to the scholarly debate on authoritarianism, with an emphasis on the working-class agency.

Makale detayları

Analyzing the JDP Era through Class Struggles

Yazarlar:

Mertcan Şafak Sağlam

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Political Science (Other)

Dergi:

Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences Vol.34 Issue 1, pp.117-133

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

11/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001347703

pISSN:

2618-6330

Justice and Development Party

Working class

Authoritarianism

Class struggles

Neoliberal transformation

Sayı

Makale detayları

Analyzing the JDP Era through Class Struggles

Yazarlar: Mertcan Şafak Sağlam

Yayıncı: Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar: Political Science (Other)

Dergi: Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences Vol.34 Issue 1, pp.117-133

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 11/2025

Belge Dili: İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.): 2001347703

pISSN: 2618-6330

Justice and Development Party

Working class

Authoritarianism

Class struggles

Neoliberal transformation

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Mertcan Şafak Sağlam

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Political Science (Other)

Dergi:

Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences Vol.34 Issue 1, pp.117-133

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

11/2025

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001347703

pISSN:

2618-6330