Yazar: Mensur Boydaş, Vahdi Boydaş
Sene: 2012
Introduction
The
significance of poverty has increased in both world and OIC Member Countries.
The numbers of those who stand in the need of help dramatically increased due
to globalization.
Historically,
poverty is not a new problem. In every period of history, there has been
poverty in every country. Poverty
is an unwanted characteristic of any civilization, and its alleviation is
regarded as a vital purpose of the government and interconnected institutions.
Economic growth did not finish poverty as thought before. According to World
Development Report even though it was historically believed that economical
growth is the key factor for the reduction of poverty, there are still 2.8
billion people who live on less than 2 $ income per day and 1.2 billion people
live on less than 1$ income per day in the world. Today, poverty is regarded as
a worldwide economical and social fact due to its unmanageable growth in
breaking of the immediate growth of liberal capital accumulation and
analytically supported economical progress. Therefore countries in the world
try to implement unlike social policies to deal with poverty that are directed
through established institutions.
The
purpose of this study is to show how well the social assistance fulfills this
role. The ideal is that if all social assistances were discarded there would be
a noticeable level of poverty, but when the social assistances are considered
as part of household income, poverty is greatly reduced. The structure of the
study continues as literature review in second part, conceptual frame of
poverty in part three, conceptual frame of social assistance and relation with
poverty in part four, welfare state analysis in Turkey in part five, social
assistance structure in Turkey in part six and in part seven the effects of
social assistance on beneficiaries are analyzed.
Figure
1: Where the poor live
Figure
2: Volatilities of poverty in regions
Conceptual Frame of Poverty
Generally
poverty means not being capable of supply basic human need so as to survive. Yet,
feature of formation changes due to social, environmental, economical
conditions such as, the meaning of basic human needs varies from country to
country or people to people. Furthermore, concept of basic need has a strong
interrelation with growth. As the general public develops, basic human needs turn
out to be more complex, such as being unable to reach education and health
organizations which were not signs of poverty fifty years ago. Accordingly,
poverty wraps various diverse autonomous aspects that modify the meaning of
concept. As conditions change, the meaning of poverty also changes. Poverty was
considered as ‘incapable of work’ in the 16th century of England. As
the population of poor increased though time the concept of poverty accepted as
a social experience. Bauman mentions in his book that today poverty is measured
by consumption which shows another aspect for poverty (Bauman, 1999, p10). As a
result, in modern era, poverty is regarded as a social matter. Connotation of
poverty may vary concerning developments in welfare level of country. So, with
the intention of deciding who is poor in the public or comparing different
poverty conditions needs empirical measuring concept. There are mainly two
approaches which are absolute poverty and relative poverty. According to TUIK
(Turkish Statistical Institute), the absolute poverty is the situation in which
a household or an individual cannot reach the welfare sufficient to continue
their lives. On the other hand, the relative poverty is the state in which the
individual is below the average welfare level of the society.
Absolute
poverty connects with minimum needs of the individuals and since the needs of
individual change day by day, absolute poverty may differ from generations to
generations. Though, in a report, WB addresses that an individual needs minimum
2400 kcal per a day in order to survive. According to WB, who cannot afford to
buy 2400 kcal are in absolute poverty. Furthermore, DPT states that for
underdeveloped countries, 1$ per person /day is accepted as an indicator of
absolute poverty.
Relative
poverty deems average welfare level of civilization. Level of income is
considered determining the level of the individual or household welfare.
Therefore, whilst measuring the relative poverty, income inequality in a given
society becomes apparent. In other words, the lower income inequality you have,
the lower relative poverty will be resulted.
1.0 Conceptual Frame of Social Assistance
Social assistance exists under different names
since the first ages of history.
However, the existence of the term ‘social assistance’ even not known for
certain is the product of the era of industrialization. Karataş states that in
this respect the modern sense of social assistance
regained functionality in the process of
industrialization especially in the process of re-distribution
of income. Fundamental
objective of the social assistance system is to alter the condition of being in
need of something and help recipient to become a self-sufficient. Accordingly,
Taşçı states that what is expected from social assistance recipient are to
become a producer that taking care himself.
Nevertheless,
social assistance was designed to focus on the vulnerable groups in the society
and the system is financed with tax. Social assistance system could be
considered as poverty relieving strategy. Furthermore, social assistance
strives to reduce economic cost burden on the poor. The first classification of
poor and social assistance was recognized with 1601, Old Poor Law. In relation
to this law, people who are able to work are not poor but idle. In contrast,
people who are unable to work are poor. Conceptual
meaning of social assistance may also vary; in USA it is ‘safety net’ and in
Europe it is welfare strategies. The difference is appeared to be the product
of various applications in social assistance.
There is conditional and
unconditional social assistance. Conditional is mainly cash transfer to poor
households on the condition that those households make
predetermined investments in the human capital of their children. “Health and nutrition conditions
generally require periodic checkups, growth monitoring, and vaccinations for
children less than 5 years of age; perinatal care for mothers and attendance by
mothers at periodic health information talks” (Fiszbein, Schady, 2009). Unconditional
social assistances are provided with no compensation or stipulation because
main purpose of unconditional social transfer is to dispose of economical
disadvantages.
4.1
Relation with Poverty
When social assistance mentioned
the well-known concept “poverty”
comes to mind. İkizoğlu believes that indeed, the
concept of social assistance, in general, because of the process to
help the poor people
in cash or ocular, reminds of poverty and poor people.
In other words, the
main determinant of needing social assistance services
is poverty. In this sense, social assistance is characterized as the modern state is perceived as a requirement of the poorest segments of the
protective direction, social responsibility, and generally poor
programs. On the
other hand, when compared the literature's
use of poverty is newer than social
assistance. Koşar states
that poverty is expressed as almost does not exist in books about social issues
in the period before 1960, there is not much about the social welfare in the
literature of sociology, except for some of the books and the literary world. Therefore, the concept of
poverty is very
new, the history of meaning implied in
today's concept of
poverty can be met, said the concept of social
assistance. Poverty is
considered, in general, things
that come to mind, however, anti-wealth
that the misery
of poverty, hunger, poverty, neediness,
life of constant struggle, the battle to survive, enough to meet the needs of basic
and essential, with a lack of
sufficient assets, earnings-are states of
being deprived of income. In other words, poverty may be the common
denominator of all those who are
in need of help.
5.0 Poverty and Welfare State in Turkey
Welfare
state is like a new pact in capitalist regime between state and citizens that
social risks were knobbed by state in counter to individual duties to state. As
for the origin, social effects of Great Depression in 1929 enforced state to
take some safety measures such as social transfer in opposition to severe
poverty circumstances, illiteracy and poor health. One of the functions of
welfare state is caring individuals from social risks like poverty.
As for the
human development index 2010 pointers, that states ranked in the course of
their life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living measures,
Turkey is ranked in 83 amongst 169 states. The pointers of demography are a
vital criterion for mapping poverty. From the statistics of TUIK (2011) Turkish
population is about to reach to 74 million in 2011 and 77% of its population
lives in urban areas whereas 23% of population lives in rural. Statistics divulge
that Turkey has a young civilization that half of its population is under 30
years demonstrating the similar feature of the developing countries. As a
member of UNDP Millennium Development Goals in 2000, Turkey published a report on
behalf of its provision. The report reveals that poverty has decreased slightly
in two decades in Turkey.
Retrieved From:
Turkey Millennium Development Goals Report, State Planning Organization-2010
Clearly
obstructed from the figure that food and non- food poverty was %28.3 in 1994
and decreased to %17.1 in 2008. Likewise, food poverty decreased from 2.9% to
0.54 % from1994 to 2008. Furthermore, extreme poverty, which indicates people
live on less than 1 dollar per day, abolished by the year 2006. These pointers
show that Turkey almost attained its first target in millennium development
goal which is halving the proportion of extreme poverty. Nevertheless, food and
non-food poverty increased to 18% as a product of the global economical crisis
in year 2009.
Table 1:
Rates of Poor
Individuals in Turkey
Retrieved From: TUIK
Table
reveals that, Turkey do not suffer from extreme poverty but rather suffer from
relative poverty. Extreme poverty can be understood by the ratio under the
below 1$, 2.15 $ and 4.3 $ population that are decreasing regularly since 2002.
On the other hand, relative poverty based on expenditure almost settled
constant through the same years. Income distribution is another important determinant
of poverty provision. The table below illustrates broad information about the
income distribution of Turkey.
Table 2: Distribution of Annual
Personal Disposable Income by Quantiles of Household Population %
Retrieved From:
Turkey Millennium Development Goals Report, State Planning Organization-2010
As
it is clear from the table, there is a variation in Gini Coefficient in years representing
the uneven distribution of income in civilization. It dropped from 0.49 in 1994
to 0.38 in 2005. There is enormous disparity in shares of income between the
rich and poor in society such as; in 2007, the lowest %20 of the population
shares % 5.8 of whole income whereas richest %20 of the population shares the %
46.9 of whole income.
There
have been turning points in the social welfare system. Splintered formation of
social security system was an apparent pointer of traditional welfare system in
Turkey. This fragmentation was based on occupation status. Furthermore, social
security system principally covers only formal work and disregards the majority
of unregistered.
There
is a fairly new debate of ‘new poverty’ in welfare transformation of Turkey
particularly after 2000. Essentially, new poverty refers to disintegration of
poor into society, especially into urban way of life. The term comes from rural
declaration that Turkey practiced. Buğra states that new poverty is a product
of conditions that for the most part destroy the probability of being
integrated into urban. As a result, it is stated that this is a new form of
poverty that is enduring caused by disintegration of poor in to society.
Another
watershed of Turkish Welfare State was practiced with Justice and Development
Party (AKP) regime after 2002. Conservative liberal ideology was the reference
of AKP government. Their ideology based on the partial interference of the
state both in economic and social scope. As said by this ideology, state should
adjust and control them for creating equal competition. The legacy of Özal
government of charity and family institutions is also utilized by the AKP
governments.
Whereas, Buğra states that
with AKP government perception of social right has aroused. In addition Turkey
experienced a very severe economic crisis that exposed severe poverty. Besides,
old-fashioned social balancing and risk management mechanisms like family were
not capable of dealing with this problem. Consequently, government took some protections
for poverty alleviation (Buğra, 2008). One of the indicators of this
alleviation process is dramatic escalation in distribution of coal and food
assistance to poor.
To
sum up, it could be said that the welfare state came into agenda with the 1961
constitution. Before this time state tried to attain its economic alteration
and left social risks within family and charity organizations. In 1980’s,
Turkey practiced liberalization process that liberal conservative government
established new institutions dealing with social issues. Though, family
institution and charity were still very significant and conversion of welfare
state was authenticated under this ideology. The determination of the
government was to decrease the social expenditures.
6.0 Social
Assistance Structure in Turkey
In
this part of the study, structure of social assistance in Turkey is going to be
designated briefly. It will be focused on the central structure of the social
assistance providing institutions such as SYDGM and on the family aids which
are usually under control of Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations
(SYDV). Other social assistance providing institutions such as SHÇEH will also
be introduced.
6.1 Social
Assistance Instructions in Turkey
5.1.1 Social Assistance Categories by Social
Assistance and Solidarity Fund
Predominantly
social assistance comes from Social Assistance and Solidarity Fund that was
established in 1986. Ultimately, this fund is used by all state social
assistance institutions like SYDGM and SHÇEK.
6.1.2
General Directorate of Social Assistance and Solidarity (SYDGM)
There
are several institutions providing social assistance in Turkey such as SHÇEK,
Municipalities or SYDGM. Though, this study will focus on the SYDGM and its
local administrations (SYDV) since they are central organization for
distributing social assistance in Turkey. The law 5263 established in 2004,
SYDGM is appointed as main social assistance providing institution in Turkey.
Furthermore, it was mentioned in the 2006-2010 state action plans, established
by State Planning Organization (DPT), that SYDGM will have a central role on
poverty alleviation policies.
Objectives
of SYDGM designated as follows;
It
is aimed to reach existing social assistance programs to citizens who have
economic and social deprivation in a more efficient and faster way by
restructuring of Fund administration as a General Directorate. Social
Assistance and Solidarity General Directorate as State's most important social
assistance and protection agency; fulfills states social responsibility
throughout the country by helping to citizens who do not have social security ,
orphaned and needy and also by supporting employment-oriented training and projects.
(SYDGM)
6.1.3 Social Assistance in Social Assistance and
Solidarity Foundation
Social
Assistance and Solidarity Foundations (SYDV) are controlled by SYDGM and spread
all around the Turkey, including rural and urban regions, with over 950 local
administration. These local institutions are providing social assistances with
respect to the policies that are produced by central government. SYDV are using
the Social Assistance and Solidarity Fund (SASF), each foundation receive
resources from this fund. There are also some voluntary contributions from rich
individuals. However, the amount of resource received from SASF is highly
dependent on development rankings established by State Planning Organization.
Also the population of the province, unemployment rates, and contribution to
GDP are taken into account at the same time. There are different sorts of
social assistances distributed by SYDV. These include family assistances,
health assistances and education assistances.
6.1.3.1 Application to Social Assistance
The
main obligation for being a social assistance beneficiary is not to be
protected by any social security schema. Another vital standard is evaluation
of being indigence. Though, there is no real clarification of being indigence
in Turkey, since cost of living cannot be simply measured and the term, cost of
living, is extremely subjective. Social assistances delivered by SYDV are based
on self-application. When the people apply for social assistance from SYDV,
their personal data is checked over Social Assistance Information System
(SOYBIS). Purpose of this information system is the validation of social
assistance applications. With this, misuse of social assistance is tried to be
prohibited and fair supply process to be attained. Nevertheless, what if they
have something and they are still indigent or they lie about their living
condition? Accordingly, there is another control mechanism that individuals are
being observed by SYDV staff at their house that is called home visit. Once
applicant meet the basics for applying social assistance on Social Assistance
Information System, SYDV check their data and send staff for seeing the living
condition of applicant. After observation procedure, SYDV staff writes a report
on his observation at applicant house and send report to the SYDGM. If these
institutions approve the report, applicant becomes a beneficiary of social
assistance.
6.1.3.2 Types of Social Assistances Provided by SYDV
6.1.3.2.1
Family Assistances
The purpose of this
assistance is to improve the living standards of the families. It consists of
food aids, heating aids, sheltering aids and cash aids.
Table 3. Family
Aids distributed by SYDV
Retrieved
from: SYDGM annual report 2010
6.1.3.2.1.1
Food aids
It
is clear from the table that within three years period SYDGM allocated its 92
million TL to food aid in total. These aids can be in cash transfer or in-kind
transfers for meeting the basic needs of poor. If it is cash transfer,
individuals are given cheque twice a year. These cheques are valid only in some
of the markets. Furthermore, food beneficiaries are free to buy any food from
these markets. Food aids are distributed via SYDV and they control the type of
aids whether it should be in kind or in cash transfer.
6.1.3.2.1.2
Heating Aids
Another
vital family assistance is coal aids which are delivered from Turkish Coal
Company and distributed by SYDV. Each social assistance beneficiary family is
given 500 kg coals per year. Disbursements in delivery procedure are covered by
Social Assistance and Solidarity Fund.
6.1.2.3.2.1.3
Sheltering
Aids
Sheltering
aids are available to those who are living under unsuitable and morbid living
conditions in terms of sheltering. This type of assistance might be in-kind or
in cash, however, compared to food assistance and heating assistance, it has
low beneficiary. This might be related to expensive cost of housing and its
improvement issues. This type of assistance is also dispersed by SYDV.
6.1.3.2.1.4
Cash
Transfers
Cash
transfers are more commonly given periodically. The amount of money transferred
to poor is highly depended on a formula which basically calculates variables
such as population, unemployment rates etc. The main purpose of this aid is to
improve the well-being of individual and inspire them to take care of
themselves. Generally, periodical cash transfers are given for crucial
conditions or high poverty conditions.
6.1.3.2.2 Health Assistance
People
with no health insurance and Green Card are given this kind of assistance to
cover their health expenses. Though, payments given people with green cards are
under control of ministry of health since 2005. While this assistance is
generally in cash, there are also in-kind payments such as disabled citizens
getting their wheelchairs, hearing aid and prosthesis via this assistance. This
sort of social assistance is used for reducing child death rates and child
disease. Consequently, state implemented conditional health assistance since
2003. These transfers are dispersed in cash. The purpose of conditional health
assistance is controlling the health of child and mother. Therefore, payments
are given in condition of child health checkups. Moreover, payments are given
to mother of children.
6.1.3.2.3 Education Supports
Great
amount of resources allocated for education support from Social Assistance and
Solidarity Fund. These transfers are; training materials, education credits,
sheltering, transportation aids and conditional education aids. The main
purpose of these assistances is to increase the education level and supporting equality
of opportunity. Conditional
cash transfer is one of the periodical transfers of SYDV. Recipients are
expected to send their children to school regularly and child checkup should be
made in hospital. When these requirements are met, SYDV transfers social
assistance to mother of child. One of the most important matters in this
transfer is positive discrimination. Almost one million girls in preschool age
cannot go to school as a consequence of the gender breach. Therefore, with this
conditional cash transfer, parent of girls are given higher amount of money
than boys (25 TL for each Girls / 20 TL for each Boys) for lessening the gender
breach and inspiring families to send their girl to school. These transfers are
made one in two months and transfer continues until child graduates from
secondary school.
6.1.4 Social Services and Childcare Organization (SHÇEK)
SHÇEK
is functioning under the
ministry of
family
and
social
policies since November 2012. In a historical
fashion, it dates back to Ottoman Empire. In modern era, SHÇEK started to
distribute in-kind and in cash transfers with 1983 regulations. Generally, the
purpose of this institution is to provide welfare for poor child and their
families. The institute offers several assistances such as; orphanages, elderly
services, cash transfers and family support.
6.1.5
Municipalities
The law no 5272 defines the purposes of municipalities that social
assistances can be provided by municipalities. The main
purpose of this application is to build a protection for indigent families.
Several kind of social assistances are provided through municipalities such as;
food aids, heating aids, clothing, scholarship and health. Though, these are
local assistances and the type or amount of transfers can vary from zone to
zone. It should be stated here that, in the field research, municipality transfers
were very extensive. Practically, all of the SYDV social assistance
beneficiaries were also benefiting from municipality assistances. Though,
measuring the effect of this aid is difficult because there is lack of joined
and detailed accounts of the system.
7.0 Effects of Social Assistance on Beneficiaries
In
this part of the study, analysis of the field research data prepared by Apaydın
in his thesis is going to be deduced through theoretical background
aforementioned. In his research Apaydın interviewed with twenty-five beneficiaries
about the effects of social assistance of Altındağ Social Assistance and
Solidarity Foundation in Ankara, Turkey.
According
to SYDV officers interviewed stated that the “poor” description of the state
remains as outward and vague since it does not unweave the concept of
indigence. One of the social assistance
specialist mentioned that;
“In
the determination process of beneficiaries, the control mechanism of poverty
remains as going to homes and checking out the reliability and accuracy of
their declarations which were previously and initially inspected on SOYBİS
system. However, if the applicant passed SOYBİS search then it is highly
probable that this applicant will benefit from the assistance” (Apaydın, 2011).
This
process indicates a critical spot that “the poor” assisted by the state is
determined by means of uneven measurement of absolute poverty. Furthermore, the
measurement stays too broad for the division between absolute and relative
poverty so that both the real indigent –absolute poor- and relatively poor
people are supposed to benefit from the same types of assistance. It is obvious
that these unclear and broad definitions of poverty and the measurement
criterion of the institution bring out two considerable results. First, it
becomes impossible to categorize the poor and analyze their specific needs and
second, deriving from the first condition, provided assistance remains
inefficient since distributed amount for per family diminish though the number
of systematically poor families increases. The majority of the respondents
stated that they also benefited from other social assistance institutions.
Some of the responses in the interviews:
Illiterate and abandoned by her
husband, 47 years old women said that;
“Surviving with only SYDV
social assistances is almost impossible. I have to apply to other institutions
because these assistances are not sufficient.”
A 35 years old women, graduated
from primary school and her husband is jailed, mentioned that;
“I receive assistances from
different institutions. For example; I receive heating assistance from
municipality. Because it is insufficient, why would I bother if it was
sufficient?”(Apaydın, 2011)
A 34 years old woman proves the
above mentioned;
“I applied all social
assistance providing institutions that I know but few of them are giving me
social assistance. It is really insufficient. Do you know any other social
assistance providing institutions? I have just applied all institution. They
can decide whether I need or not. I do not hide anything; they can come and see
my house.” (Apaydın, 2011)
The theoretical uncertainty of who is poor could
also be seen from the statements of the correspondents. The
beneficiaries declared that (Apaydın, 2011) social assistances they receive are
very effective on their poverty situation. Accordingly social assistances have
essential significance in survival of beneficiaries that their poverty is decreased
by social assistance. Additionally, food and heating needs of beneficiaries are
completely provided by these social assistances. “They have no resource to buy
extra food or heating materials, thus their poverty condition is highly
dependent on social transfers made by SYDV.” (Apaydın, 2011)
Some
of the other statements of beneficiaries:
The statements of 52 years old
illiterate women explicitly define how effective social assistance on their
poverty;
“I have nothing except that
social assistance I receive from SYDV. I wouldn’t know what to do if I don’t
receive social assistance from here. Even, we make our bread at home with the
flour that was given with social assistance.” (Apaydın, 2011)
48 years old women, illiterate
and mother of 3 children, said that;
“It
reduces our poverty but we are still poor. They give me food, coal that I
cannot buy with my money. My husband works at construction but we cannot
survive with it. Between, he can works only in summer.” (Apaydın, 2011)
Nevertheless,
it is clear that there is reliance on social assistance. Hence, the main
purpose of the social assistance cannot be attained, that is helping poor to
help themselves, but it is the truth that these assistances are very vital on
their poverty situation. When the beneficiaries were asked the effects of the
social assistance on their poverty, some of the answers were:
43 years old women, abandoned
by her husband mentioned that;
“It has a significant
importance for my survival. My husband abandoned me 5 years ago. I cannot
survive without these aids. I have 4 children but none of them taking care of
me. They don’t even call me. At least I got food by these aids otherwise I
would die starving.” (Apaydın, 2011)
44 years old women whose
husband is bedridden said that;
“Of
course it has an effect on our poverty. My husband is bedridden, he cannot
work. It decreases out poverty a little but we are still in need of food. I
cannot imagine what would I do, if those aids cut down.” (Apaydın,2011 )
Another
important feature of this group is the crime rate. At least one member of a
family in this dependent group is jailed. This condition increases their reliance
to social assistance since they have to take care of jailed member of family.
Some of the other responses:
A 35 years old women, graduated
from primary school and her husband is jailed, mentioned that;
“My husband is in jail for
2 years, I am in need of these assistances. I have 3 children that I have to
take care. I have to meet the needs of my husband. This is why these aids are
not sufficient for me.” (Apaydın, 2011)
The statements of 52 years old
illiterate women, whose son is in prison, mentioned that;
“My son is jailed because of drug dealing. I have
two daughter and they got married. I am trying to give some amount of money to
my son. He is in prison for 3 years. Before he was jailed, he used to take care
of me. I wasn’t in need of social assistance. But, now, I can’t even find a
bread to eat.” (Apaydın, 2011)
The
interviews disclose that the beneficiaries recognize social assistance as “a
good thing that supports indigent people so as to make them survive. It is
important to point out the fact that no beneficiaries perceive those aids as
“rights”. Generally beneficiaries do not find the assistances adequate for
their needs. Apaydın also expresses that most of the respondents express that
they take those kinds of aids also from municipalities or other NGO type of
institutions. From this it can be said that there is no control mechanism which
inspects whether beneficiaries get assistance from other institutions. In that
sense, disconnection between institutions decreases the effectiveness of
poverty alleviation since it allocates higher resources and encourages
dependency culture.
Municipalities provide package
products and SYDV provide cheques that could only be used in some markets. Some
of the beneficiaries said that the aid package products may not respond to their
specific needs as users. For instance, a diabetic beneficiary cannot consume
sugary products in the package so that these kind of misused products are
distributed to neighbors by them or they are thrown away.
48 years old diabetic patient
women, illiterate and mother of 3 children, stated that;
“My
next door neighbor is poor, poorer than me. I am a diabetic patient. I give all
sugar including foods to that neighbor or other neighbors. Sometimes, I throw
away some of the packages. They always give the same amount of product, same
brand and same foods. I wish they can change that. They should ask me about my
needs.” (Apaydın, 2011)
Social
assistance of SYDV is thought to be more efficient on poverty reduction by
beneficiaries since they feel themselves free to decide on and buy their
specific needs up to a certain level. All participants can be identified as
caught by poverty trap and these individuals have no resource and no chance to
create a resource to get rid of poverty.
8.0
Conclusion
Turkish
welfare system is elucidated. One of the most important welfare institutions in
Turkey is SYDV. Institutional structure of social assistance system is
identified and how poverty is alleviated through social assistance.
Furthermore, types of social assistance, purpose of social assistances and
application process has been identified. It would not be unfair to say that the
circle formed by the system brings out some clientelest relations between
beneficiaries and the state since it is picked out that the state does not set
up long term relations with beneficiaries and just provides the service to them
as they are the clients without expecting any contributions in return for the assistance.
That’s why; it cannot go beyond obtaining numeric and economical improvements
in poverty rates rather than removing social causes and effects of poverty in
long run. The condition might be linked as a real stand to the fact of absolute
poverty is almost zero while there is still a current poverty problem within
the country. The unreturned relation that the state created over social
assistance causes a deeper conclusion of dependency culture as one of the major
reasons behind reproduction of poverty among beneficiaries. Under these
circumstances, even though social assistance as unconditionally given helps
beneficiaries for a temporary, periodical relief in lives of beneficiaries, it,
in fact, does not directly arbitrate for the permanent overcoming of poverty.
In its place, a kind of reproduction of poverty is continued to be derived over
this dependency. Additionally, while
beneficiaries cannot throw off their economical poverty (unemployment, limited
access for money and better living conditions etc.) in the long run, they also
are unable to break “culture of poverty” which is one of the causes of
continuation of poverty due to being locked up by their particular social and
cultural conditions. So, it can be stated that social assistance might not be
so competent for the achievement of long term goals in poverty alleviation.
As
for the suggestion, state should rebuild its definition of poor. This
definition should include the social and economical background of poor.
Moreover, it should not be unclear definition that target individuals should be
defined in detail for each type of social assistance. As so, distributed social
assistances would have higher effect on poverty, since, current definition of
poor is very external that state cannot precisely target who the poor is.
Accordingly, social assistance cannot maintain its function and consume more
resources.
Another
development can be achieved by elastic social assistance. Social assistances
should be elastic that beneficiaries can decide what they need and quantity of
social assistance should be considered through total member of nuclear family.
This transform in distributing device leads to higher effects on poverty
because beneficiaries cannot use some of the products depending on their health
condition or the needs of family. So, needs of beneficiaries should be
acknowledged noticeably by correct policy method.
In Turkey
there exist institutions providing social assistance both in public and private
sphere. In essence, these assistances are completing each other by providing
diverse needs of beneficiaries. Though, they also provide same social
assistance to beneficiaries. In that sense, state should build up a network
including all public and private social assistance providing institutions. By establishing
a network between public and private institutions, state can achieve better
poverty alleviation since individuals can be in need of clothes instead of food
which is not provided by state institutions but private social assistance
providing institutions. So, different institutions can direct beneficiaries to
other social assistance providing institutions and meet their needs. With this
network, state can also achieve improvement on repeated social assistance that
individuals can only benefit from one institution for one type of social
assistance. So, state not only decreases its allocated resources but also
indirectly encourage beneficiaries to join in economical life. The view of
beneficiaries on social assistances that is surviving with the assistance must
be eradicated. That’s why state should provide social assistance in return for
an action of beneficiaries. This return can be a social job that enforces
beneficiaries to identify social assistance not as a gift or unconditional
transfer. By this way, state can also get rid of the norms of culture of
poverty, since beneficiaries would be encouraged to join society both in economical
and social ways.
In
a nutshell, even if social assistance perceived as inadequate by the
beneficiaries, the social assistance is very vital for poverty alleviation in
Turkey. Regardless of all those debates and literature, in-kind transfers have considerable
importance on beneficiaries. Additionally, although social assistance decreases
poverty, it doesn’t enforce poor to struggle for their survival.
References
1.
Kasım
Karataş, “Sosyal Refah: Kavramsal Boyutu, Gelişimi ve Nitelikleri,” Yaşam Boyu Sosyal Hizmet; Prof.Dr. Sema Kut’a
Armağan, Ed. Nesrin G. Koşar, Ankara, Hacettepe ÜniversitesiS.H.Y.O.
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2.
Nesrin
G. Koşar, Sosyal Hizmetlerde Sosyal
Yardım Alanı, Ankara, Şafak Matbaası, 2000, s. 19.
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Bauman,
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Fiszbein,
Ariel; Schady, Norbert; Ferreira, Francisco; Grosh, Margaret; Kelleher, Nial;
Olinto, Pedro ; Skoufias, Emmanuel ;. (2009). Conditional Cash Transfers,
Reducing Present and Future Poverty. Washington: World Bank Report.
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Yoksulluk ve Türkiye'de Sosyal Politika. İstanbul: İletişim Yayınları.
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9. İkizoğlu, Musa, (2000).,
“Yoksulluk ve Sosyal Yardım İlişkisi: Ankara Mamak İlçesinde Ampirik Bir
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Mensur Boydaş
Vahdi Boydaş
