Agenda dynamics and policy priorities in military regimes
| DOI | 10.1177/0192512120923068 |
| Date | 01 June 2022 |
| Author | Emel Ilter,Alper T Bulut,T Murat Yildirim |
| Published date | 01 June 2022 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512120923068
International Political Science Review
2022, Vol. 43(3) 418 –432
© The Author(s) 2020
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DOI: 10.1177/0192512120923068
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1003789IPS0010.1177/0192512120923068International Political Science ReviewMartill and Sus
research-article2020
Article
Agenda dynamics and policy
priorities in military regimes
T Murat Yildirim
University of Stavanger, Norway
Alper T Bulut
Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey
Emel Ilter
Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey
Abstract
Despite the policy-relevant aspirations of military regimes, scholars have shown surprisingly little
interest in exploring the agenda dynamics and policy processes in these regimes. We sought to
close this gap by analysing the original datasets of over 13,000 legislative speeches, public budgets,
and the background characteristics of 160 representatives who served in the Consultative
Assembly of the military regime of Kenan Evren in Turkey (1980–1983). Empirical analyses indi-
cate that the regime’s policy priorities did not differ significantly from those of democratic
governments, and that while representatives with military backgrounds showed far more interest
in the core functions of the government, the process through which they were selected (whether
or not directly appointed by the National Security Council) appeared to have no explanatory
power. Perhaps more importantly, there were more similarities than differences between the
military regime of Kenan Evren and the coalition, minority and majority governments of the 1970s
and 1980s. Our findings imply that the effect of institutions on policy agendas is overstated.
Keywords
Military regime, policy priorities, policy agendas, legislature, Turkey
Corresponding author:
T. Murat Yildirim, Department of Media and Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjell Arholms gate 41, 4036
Stavanger, Norway.
Email: murat.yildirim@uis.no
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