The Third Way and Its Reflections on Turkish Politics

The political atmosphere of the late 1990s is shaped
by the pursuit of a new basis for social solidarity
to be consistent with the market. With its main idea
on the complementarity of state, market and civil
society and its model of citizen both as a market
actor and a responsible member of communities; the
Third Way has achieved to be the response to that
pursuit. Whether the term third way is used or not,
its main principles have gained hegemonic position on
the world scale. In this sense, the Third Way has not
only become the main model for the social democratic
parties to adopt a more market-friendly attitude and
to gain political power in the second phase of
neo-liberal period, but also played an essential role
in further penetration of market relations into the
social life. Its impact on Turkish politics can be
observed in the attempts of political parties to
acquire this hegemonic discourse in 2000s. The JDP
has been more convincing in its attempt, as a result
of its market oriented and community based structure,
which indicates that in Turkish context this
hegemonic discourse gained a more conservatist
manner, if it doesn't show the immanent conservatism
of the Third Way.

Autorentext

Research assistant at Faculty of Political Sciences,Ankara University, Turkey. Studied Political Science at MiddleEast Technical University, Ankara. Currently a phd candidate ofpolitical theory at Ankara University.

Klappentext

The political atmosphere of the late 1990s is shapedby the pursuit of a new basis for social solidarityto be consistent with the market. With its main ideaon the complementarity of state, market and civilsociety and its model of citizen both as a marketactor and a responsible member of communities; theThird Way has achieved to be the response to thatpursuit. Whether the term "third way" is used or not,its main principles have gained hegemonic position onthe world scale. In this sense, the Third Way has notonly become the main model for the social democraticparties to adopt a more market-friendly attitude andto gain political power in the second phase ofneo-liberal period, but also played an essential rolein further penetration of market relations into thesocial life. Its impact on Turkish politics can beobserved in the attempts of political parties toacquire this hegemonic discourse in 2000s. The JDPhas been more convincing in its attempt, as a resultof its market oriented and community based structure,which indicates that in Turkish context thishegemonic discourse gained a more conservatistmanner, if it doesn't show the immanent conservatismof the Third Way.