PDF Dosyası - Ankara Üniversitesi Kitaplar Veritabanı

is a majör source of ideas and proposals for politicians, in terms of socialand political innovation and reform.7. Human right, human dignity and ethics över and above the"raison d'Etat"The recognition and implementation of the civil and political, as vvellas socio-economic and cultural rights and fundamental freedoms of individualsare a conditio sine qua non of democracy. They are the institutional/legalexpression of respect for human dignity.Human rights have been built on the principle of the superiorityof the rights of the individual över the rights of the community andthe State. There can be no democratic society unless this principle isaccepted and implemented as a legal, ethical and political commitment.This should become a norm shared by the Turkish State and socie-ty-Human rights teaching, at ali levels of the educational system,should be promoted. This is the more effective vvay of establishing respectfor human rights and dignity amongst the future generations. Suchprogrammes should also aim at eliminating stereotypes concerning the"other", racism and xenophobia. They should promote humanistic values.A related issue is the elaboration of ethical norms of behaviour inpublic aministrations, politics, business and various professions, as amode of self-regulation, generated through debate and consent. In democraticsecularized systems, democratically elaborated ethics is a centralelement, rather than the imposition of a moral order.CONCLUSIONThe implementation of such democratic reforms vvould need longyears of effort. It vvould not be a smooth and easy path to take. Two factorsvvould be instrumental in triggering such a process of reforms: widespread,systematic public debate, supported and facilitated by ali the democraticinstitutions, groups and the media, as vvell as mobilization of thecivil society organizations for political and social reform.The case is an urgent one. Democracy in Turkey is in danger.Yearsof political immobility, the deplorable score on human rights, the absenceof institutional and legal, as vvell as economic and social reforms, deepsocial inequalities (Turkey is among the top 10 as regards rates of socialinequality, according to UN figures), and corruption and criminalization249