Poverty problem in Turkey in the framework of economic and social policies applied after the period of 2000 "a field research in Ankara"

The analysing of poverty problem in the framework of economic developments and the social policies applied after the economic crisis which occured in 2000 and 2001 in Turkey constitutes the aim of this study. In this context, the reflection of positive progress in the economic indicators of Turkey especially in the period of 2002-2007 on the poverty problem, which is one of the most important problems in the social field is analysed according to poverty statistics of Turkish Statistical Institute (Turkstat). The background, which is necessary for such an analyse is aimed to be formed by investigating the structural factors which have effects on the poverty problem in Turkey.In the period of 2002-2009, it is understood that the poverty rates show a rising tendency after the recession years. The declining tendency of absolute poverty rates, which include the food and nonfood expenditures, in the period of 2002-2006 can be explained by the effects of high economic growth and the relatively low food inflation in this term.The field research constitutes one of the most important chapters of this study. The direction of the change which occured in the living conditions of absolutely poors after the economic crisis in the beginning of 2000s is tried to be determined by the field research, which is implemented in the eight counties of Ankara by using the survey technique that is one of the quantitative research methods.In the end of the research field, we get some findings which indicate the existence of a relatively improvement in the living conditions of the absolutely poors. The findings which are related to the existence of stability conditons of poors about the living period in their houses; the sticking out of the term of 2003-2007 for the poors to get some goods like washing machine, refrigerator and television; the belief in the government policies against poverty and the belief which does not indicate the conditons worse than today in the future expectations support our evaluation about the relatively improvement in the living conditions of absolutely poors. However, from the findings of the field research, it is understood that the poors highlight unemployment, being uneducated and unregistered employment for the causes of their poverty and also, it is seen that they highlight the solution of unemployment problem to struggle against poverty. In the high economic growth term of Turkey, the insufficiency of job creation and the high unemployment rates require the implementation of economic and social policies to be in coordination to struggle against poverty.