Treść książki
Przejdź do opcji czytnikaPrzejdź do nawigacjiPrzejdź do informacjiPrzejdź do stopki
tainingtherighttostimulusassistancefirstandforemostdependedonthegood
relationsoneestablishedwithpoliticiansandstateofficials.
Realizingtheadvantageofstateassistanceforgrowthandtheaccumulation
ofwealth,atthisstagebusinessmenbegantoleaveresponsibilityforproduction
inthehandsofprofessionalmanagersthusfreeinguptimeforthecriticallyim-
portantactivityofcultivatingrelationswithstateactors[Buğra,1997,p.293].
ThissituationisseenwithstarkclarityintheautobiographyofVehbiKoç,one
ofthelargestentrepreneursofTurkey.Koçemployedspecialiststooverseehisop-
erations,andwhenproductionreachedcertainlevelsundertheseindividuals,he
devotedagoodpartofhistimeseekingoutstateofficialsandothergovernment
actors.YetKoç[1973,p.52]wasnotinterestedinmeetingonlygovernmentpeople,
butalsootherentrepreneursdoingbusinesswiththegovernment.Thankstothe
entrepreneurswhosenameshelistsinhisautobiography,Koç[1973,p.48]became
aknownfigurewithin“armedforcesandhigh-rankingstatecircles”.
Likeotherswhosucceededinmaintaininggoodrelationswiththegovern-
ment,Koçreapedgreatrewardsforhisefforts.InordertopersuadeFordtobuild
acarmanufacturingplantinTurkeyandtomakehimselftheirpartner,Koçwasable
tosecurealetterfromthepowerfulPrimeMinisteroftheperiodAdnanMenderesto
theeffectthatthegovernmentwoulddoeverythinginitspowertoassisthiminthis
endeavor[Koç,1973,p.89].However,attimesKoç’sgoodrelationswithgovern-
mentofficialswerequiteconspicuous;newsofstatetendershereceivedcouldbe
accompaniedbyrumorssuchas“theGovernerandMayorgavethisjobtoKoçashe
istheirgoodfriend”[Koç,1973,p.113].Inshort,itwasnaturalforentrepreneursto
spendtimeinthisway,giventheadvantagestheymightglean.
Thelastpointtomakeinthissectionisthatincultivatingthesetieswithgov-
ernmentagentsandofficialsthebusinessmenofthiserawerenotinpursuitof
solelypecuniaryadvantage.Inthe1960sandparticularlythe1970s,unionsand
thepoliticallefthadgainedconsiderablestrength,tothepointofmakingcapital-
istsfeel,fromtimetotime,underthreattotheirveryexistence
*.Thiscouldbein
theformofhigherwagesthatpushedupcostsofproduction,asmuchasinthe
formofdirectthreats[Yaşar,1996,p.59].ForthisreasonTurkishentrepreneurs’
relationswiththestatetookonthefeatureofapoliticaldiscourse.
Towardstheendofthe1970stheconditionsdescribedabovebegantore-
cedeintothebackground;andthepoliticalenvironmentofthe1970swhichhad
sothreatenedthebusinessmandisappearedentirelyfollowingthecoupof1980.
Statesupportcontinuedtobeimportantintothe1980s,butnownewconditions
promptedthebusinessmantospendhisworkinghoursinnewareasofactivity.
*
Inhismemoirs,Koçalsodescribeswithhorroroneoccasionduringthewaveofstrikesofthe1970s
whenagroupofunionistsgatheredinfrontofhishouseandthreatenedhimselfandhisfamily.
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