Evaluation of general elections (between 1946-2002) in Turkey in the context of electoral heresthetic

Main purpose of the this study is to evaluate the Turkey's general elections (Between the years of 1946-2002) in terms of electoral heresthetics. Concept of democracy, electoral systems and electoral systems that implemented in Turkey were explained in the study. In addition, the concept of heresthetics that constitutes the theoretical base of the study was discussed and the concept of electoral heresthetics was explained. Electoral heresthetics are explained under the subheadings of electoral system reform and election timing. In order to answer the research question case study research design, which is the one of the qualitative approaches, was used. In this context, the period interval that constitutes the thesis study was divided into six cases within the scope of electoral system reform and analyzed periodically. Analyzes on electoral system reforms were carried out within the framework of three sub-research questions. The period interval that constitutes the thesis study was divided into six cases within the scope of election timing and analyzed periodically. Analyzes on election timing were carried out within the framework of two sub-research questions. In the conclusion part of the study, case studies on electoral reforms and election timing are evaluated. The following findings have been reached by the evaluation of the electoral reform: It can be said that; existing electoral sytem being propotional or majority had an effect on the change of electoral system that made before the 1961, 1983 and 1987 general elections, while the existing electoral system had no effect on the change of electoral system that made beferore 1965, 1969 and 1995 general elections. It can be said that there was no strategic behavior in the 1961 general elections elections, whereas there was strategic behavior in the 1965, 1969, 1987 and 1995 general elections. The absence of an analysis unit that related with 1983 general elections has been an important constraint for determining strategic behavior. It can be said that electoral changes that made before the 1961, 1965, 1983 and 1995 general elections did not provide any advantage to the electoral system designers notwithstanding the electoral changes that made before 1969 and 1987 general elections provided advantage to the electoral system designers. The following findings have been reached by the evaluation of the election timing: It was observed that new political actors did not have an effect on early general elections in 1957, 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2002,but that new political actors had an influence on the decision of early elections in the 1987 early elections. It can be said that; economic expectations about the future partially ifluenced the decisions on early general elections that made in 1957 and 1987. Economic expectations about the future significantly influenced the decisions on early general elections that made in 1991. Lastly, it can be said that expectations about the future had no effect on the decision of general elections that made in 1995, 1999 and 2002.