JoeB131 ; As a society in Turkey, we do not know what democracy is because we have not achieved democracy by demanding it as a society and fighting for it. No one knows the value of something that they get without needing it, without feeling its lack. It is the same in everyday - individual life and unfortunately also in any social, ordinary situation.
frigidweirdo ; Society in Turkey has always been closer to communism and socialism. Even though conservative - religious people dislike the word "communism" in the Ottoman period and in the Republic of Turkey, unfortunately there is no prejudice against state authority and totalitarianism. The narratives of heroism and epic history, both in the Ottoman Empire and in the achievements of the Republic of Turkey, lead people to perceive the concepts of diplomacy and alliance in foreign policy as unimportant.
Until the Cold War, the biggest social threat in Turkey was historically the Soviets/Russia. During the Cold War in Turkey, in response to the leftist groups' loyalty and cooperation with the Soviets due to their hostility towards the US ( because of the ideology of communism ), the US only established relations with and supported right-wing political groups.
Although religious radicalism is not so widespread in Turkish society, the US support for right-wing groups and the increasing success of these groups as they grow stronger, and the infrastructure in Turkey that is susceptible to radicalization in terms of the number of religious beliefs, even though religious radicalism is not widespread in the society, have allowed the snowball to move forward with the strengthening of religious groups - parties in Turkey.
After the end of the Cold War, even though the communists in Turkey had de facto failed, the traumas caused by the terror of the right-wing groups taking over the state and the government, compared to the terror of the left-wing groups, could not be erased in society. Radicalized right-wing groups and in order to justify themselves in politics and to win over left-wing people, first of all, a religious figure like Necmettin Erbakan, although he was a radical religious figure, started to garner votes and support with anti-US and anti-Israel conspiracy theories in the squares.
In other words, conspiracy theories and taboos have reached the level of schizophrenia in society and it is very difficult to expect any concrete - concrete development for the future. The sad part is that the spiritual, material and political influence of radical countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia has increased significantly in Turkish politics for years, regardless of left or right.
In this process, the politics of Europe and the United States have also contributed in a serious bad way, knowingly or unknowingly. Allowing or turning a blind eye to the fact that the AKP is operating together with the Fethullah Gülen sect and that they can take over the constitutional, legal and military institutions of a NATO country with their party members, as well as the empowerment of people with ties or sympathies with this sect in opposition politics in Turkey.
In a way to support the anti-U.S. sentiment in Turkey, the U.S. provided support to the Pkk during the Gulf Wars, and the perception that the U.S. protects the Pkk more than the Kurdistan Regional Government of Northern Iraq. (I am sure that Russia's propaganda efforts have a much bigger share in this, because the groups praising Russia in Turkey always blame the US for this situation and never say anything against Russia, even though Russia does not officially recognize the Pkk as a terrorist organization.
The March 1 Iraqi parliamentary resolution was not passed due to the perception that the US wanted to use us to divide both Iraq and us, the aggressive outbursts of the Chp administration, which was the main opposition at the time, and the support of some Akp deputies who supported it. In the long run, the perception that it is not possible for AKP and Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan to do anything in Turkey with the opposition in my party or with other parties if I do not get stronger in his relations with the US and Europe has enabled Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan to get more support from outside politically.
