Leadership Discussed at the School of Politics

In the eighth week of the 8th School of Politics program organized by the Bahçeşehir University School of Government and Leadership, with the participation of former Undersecretary of Treasury and Foreign Trade Tevfik Altınok, Istanbul Member of Parliament Şafak Pavey, Democrat Party Chair Namık Kemal Zeybek, Great Unity Party Chair Mustafa Destici and Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan, the topics of economics in politics, leadership, the 28 February process, the constitution and terrorism were discussed.

In summary, the topics discussed at the meeting were as follows:

 

TEVFİK ALTINOK:

"There are two important points in economics. The first is to always keep your perspective broad; that is, you need to see not just one area of the economy but all of it. The second is that your perspective should be long-term; that is, your view of events should not be limited to getting through the day; you should also draw conclusions about the future and shape public opinion. After all, the results of economic policies emerge over years. These two points are very important; however, politicians look at the economy from a narrow and short-term perspective. Their intention is to get through the day. Türkiye is a shining star; we have become one of the few countries that can prepare what we call a Medium-Term Plan today. To avoid losing this progress, we must take certain measures: our young population must not turn into an elderly population in the future, we must export more than we consume, and we must try to close the current account deficit."

ŞAFAK PAVEY:

"Leadership can be in various fields. You can be the leader of subjects, or you can be a leader of law. You can choose any field you want for leadership. If I were a leader, I would want to create a global 'Magna Carta.' Since England is the mother of the parliamentary system, and the best system accepted in the world today is participatory democracy and the parliamentary system, to create this we look at what founded it, and there we see the 'Magna Carta.' I think governments cannot be very effective over very long periods. So far, it is seen as the best parliamentary and participatory democracy. Participatory democracy needs to be emphasized. I think the opposition must be very good, and if a country's opposition is not good, that country will turn inward and fall behind the world. The bigger the lie, the more people believe it.""

NAMIK KEMAL ZEYBEK:

"The place of the economy in politics and in our lives is very important. At the end of the three-century industrial age, with the rise of industry, the Turks lost the superiority they had in the agricultural age. The Ottoman Empire ended because it lost its scientific mentality and could not keep up with the times. If we do not keep pace with the information age, we will see more 28 February processes. The computer has brought with it the unstoppable rise of women. While we are far ahead in the use of social media, we rank in the 70s in producing information technologies."."

MUSTAFA DESTİCİ:

"Social consensus is needed when making the new constitution. If the constitution were only a legal text, social consensus would not be needed. We must not forget that it is a text of political decision beyond a legal text. With Western countries taken as a reference, there is a desire to make a constitution that is stripped of identity, accepts autonomy and makes education multilingual. Yet if you look at Western countries, you see that identities are protected. Terrorism must be fought with trained special units. Mobile security, not fixed outposts, should be employed. The effectiveness of special operations units should be increased. Those who want the village guard system abolished are those who do not know the region. A single intelligence unit should also be established, because the existing 3 intelligence units periodically clash with and bypass one another. This harms our fight against terrorism. Full civil–military cooperation must be ensured. The financing of terrorism must be combated. Cutting off international support for the PKK is another parameter in the fight against terrorism."

AHMET MİSBAH DEMİRCAN:

"One of the most important qualities of leadership is a sense of responsibility. Human beings have had responsibility since their creation. There can be no leader without oratory. Vision and worldview are very important. There can be no leader without collective intelligence and without creating a team, and a leader must be open to criticism. If the poor stop coming to a mayor's door, that man is finished. 'Don't give a fish, teach how to fish' is a saying repeated by rote. State institutions, especially mayors, exist first for the weakest links. A leader is determined but tender-hearted. A leader must be brave; you cannot do anything without courage."