Elite theory applied to contemporary Turkish society

This study aims to analyse, the general power structure of Turkish society. On a general basis “Elite Theory” was used in this study to understand, to examine and to explain the power structure of Turkish society. Elite theory highlights power, control and influence for examining it’s subject and there are various elite theories within this context, such as elitist elite theory, pluralist elite theory, democratic elite theory, demo-elite perspective and the corporatist perspective. Specifically, this paper examined Turkish elites using democratic elite theory, but emphasised “the demo-elite perspective” within democratic elite theory. However, to some degree, it profited from other elite theories, such as the pluralist perspective and the corporatist perspective. In accordance with the pluralists views one could argue that, power has been diffused and fragmented among many people or elite groups which together participate in the decision-making process in contemporary Turkish society. Nevertheless, decisive and effective power (parallel with the main thesis of the elitist view) has been concentrated and centralised in the hands of the small number of elite groups which are the most powerful in the national power structure.