The effect of TUSIAD as a pressure group on domestic and foreign policy

In this study it is examined the influence of developments in the political sphere to the organized civil society, the factors required for the evaluation of TÜSİAD in the pressure group category, the place of pressure groups in different democracy systems and the influence of TUSIAD's participation in the political sphere on domestic and foreign policy. The study consists of five parts. In the first part of the study, the basic problematic, claim, method and purpose of the thesis are put forward. In the literature study, some distinctive factors are mentioned which have not been included in other studies about pressure groups and TUSIAD. The methods of the study, research questions and hypotheses developed for these questions are also included in this part. In the second part, the views on civil society conception and the relationship between state and civil society are presented. Moreover, the process of change for the pressure groups due to political developments in Turkey and the situation of TUSIAD in the definition of pressure group have been dealt with. In this part it is also explained why TUSIAD is a pressure group, and how it resembles and differs from the NGOs. In the third part, the participation of the pressure groups in the political sphere is examined in the framework of liberal, representative, pluralistic democracy and radical democracies. In addition, pressure groups are evaluated by considering their participation to the political sphere in Turkey. In the fourth part, Turkey's political and economic conjuncture in the term toward the establishment of TUSIAD is described by emphasizing the events that necessitate setting up an organization like TUSIAD, additionally; the organizational structure of TUSIAD is defined. Furthermore, the efforts of TUSIAD to influence domestic politics and the methods used in this context, its action and reaction in the political sphere are handled in chronological order in this part. TUSIAD's efforts to influence foreign policy with similar methods and the impact on Turkey's foreign policy analyzed in the fifth part entitled "The Impact of TUSIAD on Foreign Policy". Eventually, the last part of the study is to explain the results obtained in the research and the points from which the results have reached. The results from the research are as follows: military interventions, constitutional amendments, government change, and all developments in the political sphere affected TUSIAD as well as many non-governmental organizations. Contrary to what is believed, TÜSİAD is not a NGo but a pressure group. Liberal democracy gives the oppression groups the opportunity to participate in the political sphere; however it is possible that the pluralistic structure is in danger because of the problems experienced in the representative system. In this context, the approaches of radical democracy theories towards political participation need to be considered. Besides, it has been observed that TUSIAD's participation in domestic politics as a pressure group has changed historically, and recently it has undergone erosion, while it was able to influence political powers in the past. The efforts of TUSIAD to influence Turkey's foreign policy ground maintaining the intimate relations with the countries and blocks which Turkey has close relations. In this context, it is ascertained that TUSIAD mainly endeavors to make an impact on Turkey's relations with the EU and USA.