Can the State Be Ruled from a Coffeehouse?

I'm sure that when you see the title, many of you think, "Can such a ridiculous thing happen?" The question arose. Generally, when we think of the state, concepts such as mother, father, power, justice and compassion come to our mind. The reason for this can be seen as the state continuing its basic function of protecting the life and property security of the individual throughout the historical process. After all, the state is a political organization that emerges when a people unite under the umbrella of sovereignty on a certain land. How should the state be governed as a political organization? Throughout history, there have been countless studies seeking the answer to this question. There are valuable suggestions emphasized by each original study. However, the answer to the question we asked in the title will be more like a search for an answer to the question of what the culture of governing the state should be, rather than the answers given by these studies.

There is almost no one of us who has not been to a coffeehouse at some point in our lives. Entertainment alternatives such as card games, okey, dominoes and backgammon create an environment where friends can have a pleasant time together. In this environment, conversations colored by tea and coffee under the smoke of cigarette smoke are like a free tribune where sometimes state and government issues, sometimes current life issues are discussed without any restrictions. Whether everyone knows it or not, he says whatever comes to his mind at that moment with great confidence. Even if there are knowledgeable people around, they comply with the etiquette of the environment and the absurdity of what is said melts away in the surreal structure of the environment. Of course, the environment has changed a little after the ban on smoking in closed areas was introduced.

Sometimes discussions can get very heated in the coffee environment. Competition between football teams or the stance of political parties form part of the coffeehouse culture, as topics that increase the possibility of igniting discussions. In fact, this possibility can sometimes pose such a great risk that coffeehouses where people with certain views meet and certain team fans gather are known to everyone and the customer profile is formed accordingly. Sometimes, coffeehouse walls become the basis for restrictive warning signs written by the business management to prevent an environment of discussion and fight. In a sense, the unwritten coffeehouse culture turns into written documents.

The owner who manages a coffeehouse has to manage the place locally. The business owner often realizes that the noise and tension coefficient is starting to rise and skillfully calms down the situation. He is experienced enough to see that any chaos that may arise could cause both damage to the venue and loss of customers. For this reason, regulars of certain coffeehouses prefer places where they know what to expect. Nobody wants to encounter surprise unrest. Operators also know this and avoid making sudden changes that would disturb people.

The state, as a political organization, is a form of organization that has reached the upper levels of institutionalization. At this stage, decisions are expected to emerge in the context of impersonal relationships. The administration of the state is the responsibility of a government formed according to predetermined rules. The government continues its duty for a certain period of time, within the framework of a set of rules that have been determined in advance and received the approval of the citizens. In countries with a written Constitution, these rules are collected under the text of the constitution. However, every country based on popular sovereignty actually has a constitution, whether written or not. Constitutional texts are the act of popular sovereignty and absolutely limit the sovereign power.

The main difference between coffeehouse culture and state administration culture is that in coffeehouse culture, almost everything can be talked about and discussed. Because what is said there stays there. However, in state administration, the government cannot go beyond the boundaries drawn by the constitution. A government that has the duty to govern the state is not an institutional structure where everyone can come up with whatever comes to their mind. The issues discussed in the coffee house have no sanctioning power. However, every statement of the government that constitutes the government indicates a policy choice. Therefore, as a requirement of state responsibility and the constitution, government units must be aware that every statement is a political discourse. Any issue that is not on the government's policy agenda cannot be raised by officials. In other words, every issue raised indicates a political orientation.

The coffee house has no memory. Today's discussion ends, tomorrow a new discussion will be held. No one has to defend the next day what he defends today. Consistency only binds oneself. Even though everyone finds it strange, there is no sanction for inconsistency. The state is an organization with memory. It bears responsibility for all historical developments since its establishment, and it is an unacceptable mistake for governments to reflect these developments to society by turning them into a state debate.

Exaggeration, lying, and talking without evidence are commonplace in the coffeehouse. In fact, there are many jokes about these. Moreover, the person whose lie is revealed may laugh off it with a brazen smile. In addition, although exaggeration by government members to some extent can be considered a quirk of politics, lying is disrespectful to the public and unacceptable.

In coffeehouse conversations, it is considered a great shame to leave the table without paying the bill. Nobody wants to sit at the same table with the person who did this again. But governments often seek to escape without being held accountable for their mistakes. The factor that can prevent this is an independent and fair functioning judicial system. If this is not the case, the same government can sit at the same table again and again. In order to concretize the issue a little in the context of consistency, we can consider the recent discussions.

It is an indisputable fact that Sheikh Said, who started a "Kurdish-Islamic" uprising with the provocation of England at the most critical period for the Republic of Turkey, caused our policy on Mosul and Kirkuk to change, and was executed when the rebellion was suppressed, was a traitor for the Republic of Turkey. (The concept I wrote in quotes does not belong to me. It is the title of a very important book written by the late Journalist Uğur Mumcu). Due to the feudal characteristics of the region, the support that all separatist Kurdish movements receive through religion should be seen.

Religion is also the underlying element behind the government's rhetoric about Sheikh Said, which accuses the main opposition party of supporting terrorism, and ignores the views of HUDA-PAR, which it introduced to the Turkish Grand National Assembly. It cannot be expected that the views of those who have a great consensus on religion on ethnic identity will differ greatly. The government is trying to cover up this inconsistency by attacking the opposition. Unfortunately, politics cannot go beyond coffeehouse culture. In other words, everyone says everything irresponsibly and there are no sanctions. Inconsistency has become normal.

Social media is also a medium where the coffeehouse culture is fully valid. Anyone can become a tool in the government's propaganda strategy with hearsay information and accuse the main opposition party of a crime that has no basis, such as supporting terrorism. These accusations are empty and virtual, as they say in the coffee house. Although shares with a legal basis are valuable, the environment is not one where they can produce final results. However, it is not possible to come across the self-criticism that the government should make regarding the stage that terrorism has reached. There is no difference between social media trolls and those who drink tea and coffee at a coffeehouse without paying and applaud the person who speaks most passionately.

After reading the article, I thought to myself, "How ridiculous, can state administration and coffeehouse culture ever be the same?" I can almost hear people saying. I don't think so. If you are sincere about this issue, consider what we are experiencing in terms of state and management culture. That's why I apologize to everyone if it's just my perception that government officials have a say in the state administration as if they were talking at the coffeehouse table. However, if everything the officials who act with the coffeehouse culture in the state administration go unanswered, then I recommend that you evaluate yourself to understand how this government can continue its duty.