OECD’s Government at a Glance 201 Report (published in June 2021) provides internationally comparable evidence on the public
sector’s performance prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as a special focus on changes made to
government processes to respond to the pandemic. It finds great variation in countries’ preparedness
for the crisis, as well as in their capacity to adjust public governance processes to address change.
It is also a mirror of the strength, resilience and credibility of a nation’s key institutions, such as the judiciary, government and health system.
In some sense, this Report is a very useful compliment to existing work of development. The stronger the institutions, the faster a nation’s development.
Turkey’s miserable performance in the rankings of OECD states demonstrates once again President Erdogan and the governing AKP-MHP alliance failed in reinforcing the main pillars of development.
Turkey ranked at the top of 36 countries in the public’s eroding trust in the judiciary and educational system over the past ten years, according to OECD’s new semi-annual report “Government at a Glance 2021.’’
A mere 27 percent of Turks said they were satisfied with educational services, as compared to the average of 68 percent among citizens of OECD countries, while the country showed the highest decrease in confidence in the judiciary over the past decade, according to the report.
Norway, Finland and Slovenia topped the list in satisfaction with the education system.
To add, recent polls show that up to 75% of the young generation wishes to migrate abroad, suggesting Turkey has no future under Erdogan.
A failed education system by definition means a country can’t raise workers to adapt to Industry 4.0.
Turkish citizens’ trust in the judiciary fell by 22 points to 38 percent between 2010 and 2020 as compared to the OECD average of 57 percent, which has increased by six points during the same time, the report found.
The presidential system was designed to usurp the powers of all key institutions in the persona of the president. In that sense, it is immensely successful. A key measure of economic development, trust in judiciary has bottomed under AKP’s reign. Low trust in the judiciary is not simply a human rights problem, it also means contracts will not be enforced and property rights can easily be taken away.
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One reason why Turks save very little, the business community lags in building physical capital and FDI had nearly fallen to zero is low trust in the judiciary.
Turkey has witnessed a democratic backsliding following the failed coup attempt of 2016. A two-year state of emergency rule was declared in the aftermath of the coup attempt in the country and decree laws were introduced, making it possible to bypass legislative and judicial procedures, which exacerbated the erosion of the judiciary and democracy even further.
Turkish citizens’ satisfaction with health services remained unchanged over the past decade at 60 percent, the report found, below the OECD average of 70 percent.
Indeed, under Fahrettin Koca, Turkey’s health system fought Covid-19 bravely, saving countless lives. Yet, this achievement is not thanks to Erdogan, but despite his ill-advised decisions in managing the outbreak. The latest of such decisions, to allow tourists into the without testing is already precipitating a new wave of cases.
OECD report on governance is the latest in a series of global surveys which rank countries by other criteria of development, such as freedom, free press, gender equality, open government and the like.
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Erdogan’s failure to erect a solid infrastructure for rapid development and modernization of the society could perhaps have been excused, if his new society produce faster per capita GDP growth. Alas, under his leadership, Turkey’s per capital GDP declined from $12,500 in 2013 to app. $7,500 according to estimated 2021 GDP.
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