Between risks and opportunities: Social policies in contemporary Turkey

Abstract

This study analyses Turkish social policies in the 2000s in relation to welfare regime discussions in the literature. Unlike many OECD countries where social policy expenditures have been cut back, Turkey has experienced significant improvements both in social expenditures and the quality of social provisions. Based on a nation-wide empirical investigation, this study aims to understand the effects of various welfare players, particularly social policy institutions, on welfare distribution and citizens’ welfare perceptions and satisfaction levels. This paper claims that although important improvements have been made toward achieving a sustainable social policy strategy in the 2000s, a new social policy strategy is needed to establish a sustainable welfare regime in Turkey.