Entrepreneurs serve society by providing goods and services. For thousands of years, private enterprises have supported society in meeting its needs. As urban and social life developed, the state also evolved and was compelled to regulate these initiatives. However, the state has always enacted regulations in favor of those in power, eventually reaching a level of intervention that disrupted the delivery of goods and services. Rousseau and Marx were partly right in explaining the foundation of the state through private property and arguing that regulations were made to protect capital. Lawmakers’ motivations may have been well-intentioned at first, but things got out of hand over time, and the regulations began to harm both capital and society. Let’s list some examples of state intervention in Turkey, as generated by the GPT February 2025 model.
ECONOMY
- 25% Rent Increase Rule: In 2022, despite inflation being close to 100%, it was announced that rent increases could not exceed 25%. Conflicts arose between landlords and tenants. For two years, news outlets reported murders related to this issue. Despite the law, landlords still raised rents; however, as the number of rental properties decreased, people struggled to find housing. To avoid conflict, many landlords preferred to keep their homes empty. Their other complaint was that while the state raised its own taxes, fees, and charges by nearly 100%, it imposed the 25% cap just before the elections, reducing landlords’ income.
- Companies storing data abroad were banned in Turkey. International payment platforms such as PayPal and Apple Pay could not operate in Turkey. This prevented entrepreneurs who work with foreign clients from receiving payments.
- A ceiling price was imposed on insurance premiums to protect consumers from high costs. Due to the low maximum premium, insurance companies stopped issuing policies for some vehicles. Cars without insurance could not be driven. To avoid losses, companies began charging everyone the maximum rate.
- Challenges for Small Businesses: All businesses, regardless of size, had their cash registers (payment recording devices) disabled. They were forced to pay subscription fees to banks and for new devices. Applications such as e-ledgers, bank memberships, and stamp taxes caused many small businesses to close, paving the way for an economy submissive to international capital.
- ID Requirement for Gold Transactions: The ID requirement drove citizens toward the unregistered gold market.
- Tax Increases: People began shopping without receipts or invoices. Nearly 80% of citizens no longer request receipts when making purchases.
- Penalties for Untaxed Advertising on Social Media: Everyone began labeling everything as an advertisement, fearing penalties. Even genuine product use or reviews were tagged as “ads.” This exposed the public to misleading information.
CULTURE
- Turkish Language Association (TDK): Became an institution mocked by many, doing more harm than good to the Turkish language.
- Turkish Historical Society (TTK): Turned into an “anti-research” institution, failing to uncover even the simplest historical facts, and serving merely as a financial burden.
- Ministry of Culture: Consistently treated as the least serious ministry by governments, often plagued by tourism scandals rather than cultural achievements.
- Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK): Served to protect certain individuals rather than society, seeking to regulate social media and punish political opponents.
- TRT (Turkish Radio and Television): Inefficient compared to private channels despite its large budget, and always sided with whichever government was in power.
- Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet): Failed to satisfy either the conservative or the secular segments of society; limited itself to issuing political statements. OpenAI ChatGPT Feb 12, 2025
State intervention in culture and the economy must be balanced. The state is necessary for preserving cultural heritage, supporting the arts, and regulating markets during economic crises. However, excessive intervention can increase censorship, monopolization, and inefficiency. In Turkey, the state should act with respect for both freedom and balance. OpenAI ChatGPT Feb 16, 2025
The reason we asked GPT to list these points is that governments fail to provide these services effectively and often obstruct those who do. In our age, the failure to properly understand democracy, to use concepts accurately, and the tendency to seek simplistic, short-term solutions have led to the dysfunction of social institutions — and indeed, of all institutions. This dysfunction seems likely to worsen due to the increasingly apathetic attitudes of the current and future generations. Instead of waiting for hard times to create good people, we must create our own challenges and become better individuals through the difficulty of self-improvement.
