The Role of Economic Elites in Local Politics: The Gaziantep Example

Authors : Ali Fuat Gökçe, Muhammed Aksu, Nazım Fatsa

Pages : 2308-2321

Doi:10.35674/kent.1613540

View : 119 | Download : 126

Publication Date : 2025-07-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :ABSTRACT Politics is a mechanism that is of interest both at the national and local levels as a place for individuals to discuss country problems, find solutions, gain material or spiritual benefits, expand their social and friend circles, and realize themselves in the political arena. Therefore, many people strive to be active and effective in the political arena. However, it is seen that the expectations of people involved in the political arena are often not fully realized or partially realized. There are many factors that affect this process that produces positive or negative results. These include factors such as the person\\\'s level of education, financial situation, personal characteristics, and communication skills. In this study, the effect of elitism on individuals\\\' participation in politics at the local level will be examined through capital. In theories of elitism, the first classical elitism theorists Mosca and Pareto\\\'s explanations come to mind. In this study, Pareto\\\'s hypothesis that economic elites among elite groups in the social sphere are effective in local politics will be tested by starting from Mosca\\\'s concept of the ruling elite. In this context, it has been tried to find answers to the questions of how much the political visibility of the wealthy corresponds to the represented base, how the presence of the wealthy on the lists during the process of determining the MPs has an effect, whether the visibility of the wealthy in politics is effective in terms of political financing and causes an effective hegemony of the wealthy, how much the professions of local MPs are effective on the hegemony of the wealthy in regional politics around the example of Gaziantep province. In the study, a document-based analysis will be made by applying the historical and descriptive research type, and in line with this method, firstly the concepts of politics and elitism will be briefly mentioned and then an examination will be made on the professions of the MPs in Gaziantep province between the 22nd and 28th parliamentary terms according to the TBMM records. While conducting this examination, especially the capital and finance owners who were elected as MPs in the industrial sector in the example of Gaziantep province were accepted as wealthy.
Keywords : Yerel siyaset, Elitizm, Varsıl Hegemonyası, Temsil ve Taban Karşılığı, Siyasal Katılım ve Ekonomik Etki

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL