TURKEY | Societal decay and democratic erosion

In recent years Turkey has witnessed a dramatic shift from a functioning democracy toward a regime plagued by autocratic tendencies, which, in turn, has led to significant societal decay.

The erosion of democratic values, coupled with the deterioration of human rights and the rule of law, has left the country on the brink of irreversible decline.

The roots of this decay can be traced through various indicators, from corruption and press freedom indexes to alarming brain drain statistics and the deepening disillusionment reflected in the nation’s happiness index.

Furthermore, the consequences of a coup attempt on July 15, 2016 have accelerated the systematic dismantling of civil liberties, in particular the relentless crackdown on the faith-based Gülen movement.

Inspired by Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, the movement is accused by the Turkish government of masterminding the failed coup and is labeled as a “terrorist organization,” although the movement denies involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activity. It’s important to note that no Western government recognizes the movement as a terrorist group.

As German philosopher Hannah Arendt once warned, societal decay begins when public engagement wanes and individuals retreat into private life, leaving space for authoritarianism to take root.

This is precisely the trajectory Turkey finds itself on today. The once existing public sphere has been stifled, dissent has been criminalized and those who dared to speak out against the current regime have been imprisoned, exiled or silenced.

Turkey’s slide down the global indexes of democracy and freedom is a testament to this decay, and it highlights the urgent need for global attention and action.

Why has Turkish society not reacted to this downward spiral?

Since the founding of the Turkish Republic, those in power have always denied individuals the opportunity to internalize democratic culture. As a result, social awareness has never fully developed.

Demanding rights from the state was seen as “going rogue,” while a culture of obedience to the paternalistic “father state” is deeply rooted. Under these conditions, society’s resistance to authoritarianism has remained weak. Turkish democracy, already paralyzed by repeated coups, has not only failed to recover, but society has made little effort to save it.

The indicators of decay

Turkey’s Democracy Index score, as compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, has steadily declined from 5.12 in 2015 to a meager 4.35 in 2023, positioning it as a “hybrid regime” rather than a true democracy.

Freedom House’s Freedom in the World report echoes this decline, rating Turkey as “Not Free” with a dismal score of 32/100. One of the most significant drivers behind this erosion is the dramatic collapse of press freedom.

According to the Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, Turkey ranks 158th out of 180 countries, making it one of the worst environments for journalists in the world. Independent voices have been crushed, media outlets shut down and journalists have been jailed or forced into exile for reporting the truth.

The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International also paints a bleak picture. Turkey’s CPI score dropped from 45 in 2015 to 36 in 2023, reflecting widespread corruption, cronyism and the misuse of public funds by the ruling elites.

This decay has also manifested itself in everyday crime, with the Global Organized Crime Index placing Turkey among countries where organized crime and impunity are on the rise.

The very institutions meant to protect citizens, including the judiciary and law enforcement, have been weaponized against political opponents, while real criminals operate with near impunity.

Yet perhaps the most tragic consequence of this societal decay is reflected in the World Happiness Report. Turkey ranked 98th out of 143 countries in 2024, with rising levels of depression, anxiety and hopelessness, especially among young people.

The brain drain from Turkey is another stark indicator of this disillusionment. The Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges estimates that over 250,000 educated professionals, including doctors, engineers and academics, have left the country since 2016, seeking freedom and stability abroad.

Arendt’s warning about the loss of “common sense” and collective values resonates strongly here — when a society loses its best and brightest, it loses its future.

The deep silence of society: a key to decay

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this situation is the profound silence of Turkish society during the persecution of the Gülen movement and other dissidents.

Arendt’s analysis of how societies decay resonates strongly here. When the regime began its witch hunt against the Gülenists, most of Turkish society remained silent. This silence was not just passive but reflected the people’s complicity with the regime in associating those questioning the government with “terrorism” and “treason.”

Arendt’s concept of the banality of evil helps to explain how this complicity spread. In a system where citizens are conditioned to obey without question, evil manifests itself not necessarily through malicious intent, but through thoughtlessness and indifference.

The silence of the Turkish public made it possible for the persecution of thousands of people to continue without resistance. The regime exploited this silence and created a climate of fear that stifled even the slightest dissent.

Those who once raised their voices in public were silenced — either through self-censorship, fear of retribution or direct imprisonment. This climate of fear worsened as the government intensified its attacks on civil society and drove people even further into isolation.