Klasik liberalizmde “özgürlük” ve liberalizmin yerel yönetimlere bakışı

Abstract

Özgürlük, klasik liberalizm çerçevesinde diğer düşünce sistemlerinden ayırt edici bir özellik olarak ortaya çıkmış ve birey ile birlikte en önemli “liberal” argüman olarak ortaya konulmuştur. Özgürlük liberalizm içerisinde, Locke başta olmak üzere, günümüze kadar uzanan silsilede önemli bir tartışma konusu olarak ele alınmıştır. Siyasal özgürlüklerin ele alınışında yerel olan ve küçük toplulukların hakları bağlamında önemli bir konu alanı olarak görülen yerel yönetimler bazındaki özgürlük anlayışı liberalizm içerisinde her dönem tartışılmış bir konu olmuştur. Yerel demokrasi ve siyasal katılımın, yerel özgürlüklerle birlikte ele alındığında, anlamlı olacağını savunan birçok liberal düşünür, liberalizmin özgürlük anlayışına ilişkin geliştirilen tartışmaların, bu minvalde değerlendirmesi neticesinde “somut” sonuçlara ulaşılabileceğini belirtmektedirler. Çalışmada ilk bölümde klasik liberalizmin özgürlük anlayışı ele alınmaktadır. Bu süreçte önemli liberal düşünürlerin görüşleri irdelenmeye çalışılmaktadır. İkinci bölümde ise liberalizmin yerel yönetimlere yönelik bakış açısı analiz edilmeye çalışılmaktadır. Ayrıca, liberalizmin özgürlük anlayışı çerçevesinde ele alınacak olan yerel yönetimlerin, siyasal katılma, yerel demokrasi ve yerel özgürlüklerin gelişimine ilişkin ne tür katkılar yaptığı irdelenmektedir. Bu şekilde ele alınan çalışma, konuyla ilgili bir değerlendirme ve sonuçla nihayetlendirilmeye çalışılmaktadır Çalışmanın amacı, klasik liberalizmin özgürlük anlayışının irdelenip, bu bağlamda liberal düşünürlerin görüşlerinden yararlanarak liberal teorinin yerel yönetimlere bakış açısının analiz edilmesidir. Burada elde edilen genel sonuçtan, liberalizmin özgürlük anlayışı içinden “yerel demokrasi”nin temel argümanlarına ulaşabilmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Çalışmanın özgünlüğünün sağlanması açısından, klasik liberalizm düşüncesinin şekillenmesinde önemli bir yere sahip olan Locke, Bentham ve Faydacılar, J. S. Mill ile Tocqueville’nin görüşleri birincil ve ikincil kaynaklar kullanılarak geniş bir perspektiften ele alınmaya çalışılmıştır. Özellikle yukarıda adı sayılan düşünürlerin bazı eserleri içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılarak incelenmiş ve konuya katkıları ortaya çıkartılmaya çalışılmıştır.

In a contemporary sense, freedom that is being put forward here within the context of an individual‘s “autonomy“ can be described in classical liberalism as an individual‘s desire to be free from all manner of intervention and obstacles. Freedom within the framework of classical liberalism appeared as a feature distinct from other school of thoughts and along with the individual has been the most important liberal argument that has been put forward by this school. This concept has been debated ad infinitum starting from Locke to the present as an important area of liberalism. In general, political freedoms considered through the recurrence method is thought of as one of the most important questions in classical liberalism. Evaluating this question is important in reaching “concrete“ results within the context of classical liberalism. In considering political freedoms, the question of freedom from the point of local authorities and within the context of the rights of local and small communities has been constantly debated within liberalism. In particular, the classical liberal thinkers known as the Utilitarians, within the “greatest happiness,“ principle developed important arguments, in particular on activities that took place at the local level. The common point in their view was services provided to individuals by units closest to them because they comprised subjects that are the most “pleasurable“ to individuals and therefore are the most important activities that they will seek. However, many liberal thinkers that defend the view that only through this way can local freedoms, local democracy and political participation can be meaningful, consider that “concrete“ conclusions can be reached only as a result of evaluating the debates centered around liberalism‘s view on freedom. At this point Jeremy Bentham and J.S. Mill‘s thoughts are at the forefront and can be seen to have had a significant impact in the context of various theories of freedom developed during the 20th century. Although most of Tocqueville‘s views departed from the Utilitarians his findings on the United States of America showed that services and activities in a federal system that are localized has brought to the agenda its importance in terms of liberal emancipation and that the functions of local authorities in terms of freedoms can be debated in the name of expanding “citizenship.“ Concepts such as freedom, democracy, self-government, activism and participation appear to us where liberalism and local authorities intersect. At this point the subject that liberal thinkers insist upon is that the provision of local political participation, local freedoms and local democracy will take place when authority is transferred to local authorities. At this juncture the concept of “local self-rule“ comes into prominence. In this context, when self-rule at the point of locality is provided to local authorities, the importance of also providing financial self-rule to carry out their authority and responsibilities is an important matter that is faced. Local authorities are considered as the closest units to the public and when considered with the framework of liberalism, it can be said that important functions can be observed in local participation and effective local administration. In order to provide independence for local authorities, the views considered within the framework of classical liberalism in the form of a “self-ruled“ institutionally structured administrative unit is of utmost importance in terms of “functioning,“ focus on services and the achievement of “maximum pleasure“ of the individual. In this situation, the inevitable development of “political participation“ in order to be considered in a healthy and result-oriented manner within the framework of liberal democracy, local authorities thus become an important necessity. Thus, in the understanding of freedom within the framework of classical liberalism, local authorities, as the most important administrative units of our day and which are the closest political organizations to citizens are important in providing “self-rule“ to the individual. In the first part of this study, by going to the roots of liberalism, the meaning of freedom is examined. In this section, the views of important thinkers from Locke to the present - who is considered as classical liberalism‘s representative during the contemporary period - will be discussed. In this way, it is hoped that the effects of the liberalism‘s views on freedom on “modern“ local administration will be made known. In the second part, the views of liberalism on local authorities and within this coverage local democracy will be considered. Thus, local authorities will be considered within the framework of liberalism‘s understanding of freedom and certain “clues“ will be obtained on the development of the individual-focused political participation and local politics. Evaluating this within the framework of classical liberalism and learning the thoughts of important liberal thinkers on this subject is considered as important from this perspective. This study considered in this manner is concluded with an evaluation of the subject matter. The objective of this study is to examine liberalism‘s understanding of freedom and in this context by benefiting from the views of liberal thinkers to examine and analyze liberal theory‘s viewpoint on local authorities. From the general conclusion resulting from this study the objective is to attain the general arguments of “local democracy“ within the context of freedom from the point of view of liberalism. In forming the thoughts of classical liberalism, the views of Locke, Bentham, the Utilitarianists, J.S. Mill and Tocqueville utilizing primary and secondary sources will be considered from a wide perspective. In particular, the works of thinkers whose names are mentioned above will be reviewed using the qualitative analysis method. First, an attempt is made to explain in all aspects the understanding of freedom by classical liberalism and later the connection between liberalism‘s understanding of freedom by these same thinkers with local authorities will be analyzed. In this way, an attempt will be made to verify as to whether liberalism addresses the assertion or not that a democratic political system on behalf of individual autonomy through necessary political participation can only be achieved with the development of local democracy. Within this context, the views of classical liberal thinkers has been shaped according to these assertions and that a “meaning“ is gained when individual freedom and autonomy is considered within local authorities. Since this position is taken in this study, a “critique“ was not attempted of their understanding of local authorities within the framework of classical liberalism‘s thoughts on freedom.