FUNCTIONALITY PROBLEM OF SPECIAL PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATIONS IN THE OTTOMAN AND TURKEY LOCAL GOVERNMENT TRADITION

Abstract

The functional operation of the special provincial administrations does not seem to have followed a static course in the Ottoman and Turkey local administration tradition. Changes in the local government structure led to fluctuating developments within the special provincial administrations. In the administrative structure of the Ottoman Empire, the provincial special administrations were not included previously, but they were organized in a structure attached to the provincial administration. The establishment of provincial public assemblies, which formed the basis of special provincial administrations, was an important development in order to ensure local representation. The provincial public councils, which were created as Provincial Directory in 1864, became an intermediary assembly institution functioning between the local people and the provincial administration, which was chaired by a governor. Starting from Kanun-i Esasi (Ottoman Basic Law) in 1876, in which wide powers were granted in many areas, no general regulation concerning the special provincial administrations had been made until 1913. In 1913, the Law on the General Directorate of Public Administration, the General Administration of the Provincial Administration and private administration of the province were clearly separated from each other in an administrative sense. This regulation increased the functions of the special provincial administrations by enabling them to fulfill their services independently. Until the 1945s, special provincial administrations of the Republic Period seemed to have a functionally strong appearance while maintaining their importance. The limited number of regulations which were started with the Law on Special Provincial Administration No. 5442 dated 1949, brought about the special provincial administrations not to able to adapt to changing conditions. The increase in the regulations on municipal administrations and their growth against the special provincial administrations led to the problem of the functioning within the special provincial administrations. After the 1960s, the fulfillment of the duties in the jurisdiction of the special provincial administrations by the central administration gave rise to the questioning of the need for these administrations. The special provincial administrations, which were attempted to be restructured after 2005, and they were terminated in cities with metropolitan status in 2012. In this study, we have tried to reveal the problem of functionality with a historical perspective in the Ottoman and Turkey local administration tradition of special provincial administrations.