Development of social protection expenditures between 2012-2022 for income equality in Turkey

The distribution of the national income obtained within a certain period of time within a country among individuals, social groups, regions, factors of production is called income distribution. Dec. One of the goals of economics, which is included in the branches of social science, is to realize equality in income distribution. With the studies conducted on income distribution, the causes of income inequalities are observed. States are trying to eliminate income inequalities and minimize inequalities. In line with this purpose, the states carry out social expenditures and policies. Social protection expenditures are expenditures that intervene on income inequalities by supporting lower income groups made for direct intervention on poverty. Indirectly, social protection expenditures aim to provide an advantage to this group by providing extra spending and protection opportunities to the lower income group. The aim of this study is to examine and evaluate the development, distribution of social expenditures made for income inequality in Turkey over the years, the relationship of social expenditures with income distribution with the help of tables, data and figures. The applications of social protection expenditures, which are included in social expenditures, are explained together with the historical process and the role of income distribution in preventing inequality. These expenditures made by the state with the aim of ensuring income equality and social justice are examined in the sub-branches and the development of the last 10 years is examined through the tables. in order not to include the 2008 crisis, the year 2012, when the effects of the crisis passed, has been accepted as the starting year. In addition, the effect of the 2019 pandemic crisis was requested to be examined. For this reason, the data for the last 10 years are based on. As a result of the study of education expenditures, health expenditures and social security expenditures in Turkey, the share of education expenditures in GDP has been fluctuating over the years and it is seen that the share it receives from national income is insufficient. Health expenditures positively affect the income distribution, so health-related investments should be at a sufficient level by increasing expenditures in the right proportion with the growing population. It is observed that social protection expenditures are constantly increasing in Turkey, however, there is not much increase in their proportion in GDP. It is expected that positive results will be obtained with more effective policies and audits.