The experience of Özal's princes in the context of liberalization policies during the Turgut Özal period: A study on the newspapers of the period

The evolution of political systems and the transformation of economic structures are fundamental elements that shape a country's history and societal identity. The period between 1983 and 1993, known as the 'Özal Years' in Turkish Political Life, is regarded as a time of revolutionary transformations across all aspects of societal structure, from economy to culture, politics to public administration. Particularly associated with Turgut Özal, the 24th of January Decisions, often symbolized as the transition to a "Liberal Economy," can be considered as one of the critical junctures in Turkey's political and economic transformation. In the world, Ronald Reagan in the United States and Margaret Thatcher in the United Kingdom are considered representatives of liberal economics, while in Turkey, one of the characteristic figures of this new era was Turgut Özal. According to Turgut Özal, who aimed to minimize the state and promote the dominance of a free market economy along with supporting privatization policies, one of the greatest obstacles to the necessary transformation was the cumbersome bureaucracy carrying the centralist and patrimonial codes of the Ottoman Empire. Thus, the 1980s in Turkey were regarded as years of structural transformation, aiming to resolve issues stemming from the dominance of traditional 'ruling elites' and to realize liberal transformation by eliminating the 'bureaucratic oligarchy' and transforming the 'status elite' into a 'functional elite'. This approach and understanding led Turgut Özal to initiate a structural transformation in the upper management of the bureaucracy, incorporating a technocratic segment referred to as 'princes' into the bureaucracy, amidst both criticism and praise. Consequently, a distinct departure from the unique appointment and promotion methods of the Turkish public administration tradition occurred, with a method differing from the norm. A narrow segment, mainly from the United States, labeled as 'princes' in media circles, was appointed to significant positions in public administration through this alternative approach. These developments prompted the media in Turkey to bring these names to the forefront. At the time when Turgut Özal brought young and educated technocrats from the American tradition, who would later be called "princes," the country was going through challenging economic and political times, preparing for intense structural transformations on the eve of Özal's Great Transformation Process. In the early stages of implementation, some of the "Princes of Özal," who were often the subject of predominantly positive news suggesting they would elevate their appointed institutions to international standards, gradually began to face accusations of arbitrary practices, bribery, corruption, and fraud. This thesis examines the portrayal and presentation of the unparalleled phenomenon of Özal's Princes in the media which was implemented during the 'Great Transformation Period' in Turkish Political Life, with no equivalent in Turkish bureaucratic history. In this context, a total of 262 news articles related to the subject were analyzed from the newspapers of the period. When the newspapers of the period were examined, it was concluded that the experience of Özal's Princes is a unique phenomenon in Turkish Political Life. Indeed, although the experience of Özal's Princes is perceived as a bureaucratic practice, it holds critical importance due to its encompassment of the fundamental dynamics of Turkish political sociology and cultural codes.