PATRIMONIALISM IN MODERNISATION: A COMPARATIVE ESSAY TO INTERPRET RUSSIAN AND TURKISH POLITICAL CULTURES

The concept of patrimonialism, improved for describing the legitimate political authorities of pre-modern societies, has recently begun to attract top social science scholars with its appearances in modern societies. In this article the political cultures of Russia and Turkey which have similarities relating to history, geography and political behaviors are analysed within the scope of patrimonialism as well. Both political structures that have been world-systems-in-themselves in history, have also transferred the patrimonial culture of their imperial past to modern state-building. Even in the radicalization phases of modernization in both states’ histories, patrimonialism has manifested itself in the behaviour of political elites and the popular acceptance of them. It would be useful to consider patrimonialism as a dominant factor in approaching the actual problems like democratization in such political cultures.