Political economy of social budget: The case of selected Aegean Region country municipalities

The fact that the state, which is an institution that can meet the unlimited needs of people, provides an environment of welfare to individuals and makes planning and regulation in social areas reveals the phenomenon of social state. Social states carry out the task of raising the standard of living in all segments of the society through the central government. In order to be successful in this regard, the central government works in cooperation with local governments and shares this task. Socially comprehensive practices of municipalities, which are the closest unit to the society among local governments, such as education, health, housing and security for disadvantaged groups are implemented as social policy practices. Municipalities that aim to meet the common needs of the people by implementing social policies are called 'social municipality'. The expenditures made for the implementation of social policies under the name of social municipality and the resources provided for these expenditures are measured with the social budget as a whole. Examining the selected district municipalities of Aydın, Denizli, Muğla and Manisa in the context of political economy, as an example of the implementation of the social budget at the local level, is the main subject of the study. Evaluations were made in line with the social budget expenditures made in selected district municipalities according to the years and the political identities of these municipalities. Accordingly, it has been tried to reveal to what extent the political parties have adopted the social budget and which party is at the forefront in this regard. When the social expenditures in the expenditure budgets of the selected district municipalities are evaluated, it is concluded that the Iyi party policies focus more on the social budget.