The Measure of Development is the Human Share
· Halil ETYEMEZ
You can inaugurate an investment. You can describe its production capacity, exports, and contribution to the economy with numbers. However, to see the reflection of development in human lives, you need to knock on other doors. You must look at the homes of the people working in that enterprise, the schools of the young people trying to acquire a profession, and the tables of the people trying to s
You can inaugurate an investment. You can describe its production capacity, exports, and contribution to the economy with numbers. However, to see the reflection of development in human lives, you need to knock on other doors. You must look at the homes of the people working in that enterprise, the schools of the young people trying to acquire a profession, and the tables of the people trying to support their families with the fruits of their labor.
Because the real question of development is this: What share of the value we produce goes to our people?
In his address to the United Nations, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized the necessity of a new understanding that will produce solutions to deepening income inequalities; he highlighted common development, solidarity, and connecting societies through production. I believe this approach carries a significant responsibility in how we evaluate development.
My roles, spanning from teaching to union management, from Deputy Minister to Member of Parliament, have allowed me to view this responsibility from different perspectives. In education, you must consider the opportunities available to the child; in trade unionism, the rights of the worker; in public administration, the implementability of decisions; and in Parliament, the priorities for resource allocation. Where these experiences converge, a measure becomes clear to me: The success of a policy should be evaluated by how much it increases a person's power to build their own future.
Therefore, I do not limit the human share of development to wages. Time, security, opportunity, and a voice in decisions are also part of this share, alongside income.
We cannot consider the progress in the life of a worker whose time is exhausted for their family while their earnings increase as complete. We cannot merely advise patience to a young person who, despite having a diploma, cannot find a path to a profession. We cannot expect a person who finds no support to get back on their feet after losing their job to look to the future with confidence.
I propose a 'Human Share Principle' for Turkey. Let us evaluate every major development decision, every incentive program, and every transformation project with five questions:
How will it affect people's income? How will it change their time? How will it strengthen their security? What opportunity will it open for them? How will it give them a voice in decisions that affect them?
These questions must have a counterpart in the budget, implementation, and oversight.
First, let us make the social return of public support visible. Along with the production target of an investment we incentivize, let us also monitor the quality of employment, the contribution to vocational training, and working conditions. Let us design support packages considering the sector's and the enterprise's conditions; let us follow up on the fulfillment of promises. The difference created by public resources in human lives should be explainable.
Next, let us strengthen the path between education and livelihood. As an educator, I believe the issue is not completed by simply awarding a diploma. The responsibilities between schools, businesses, and the public must be clarified for young people to transform their learning into employment. It should be known where each skill will find its equivalent; the transition process to a profession should not be left unattended.
Let us institutionalize the sharing of productivity increases. Let us develop negotiation mechanisms that consider both the sustainability of the enterprise and the well-being of the worker together. Progress in production should also be evaluated in terms of wages, job security, training, and working hours. Workers should be able to see the reflection of the success they contribute to in their own lives.
Let us also include people's time in the development calculation. Let us measure how much time improvements in transportation, public services, and work processes save citizens. Finding time to care for children, to learn, to rest is part of human well-being.
Let us bring social dialogue to the preparation stage of decisions. Let us consult the knowledge of workers, employers, and relevant societal groups. Let us also explain the outcomes of participation: Which proposal was accepted, and why could another not be implemented? People should know how their opinions are reflected in decisions.
Thus, we can add another page to the annual balance sheet of development, showing the change in people's lives. We produced more; but did more people gain professions? Have working conditions improved? Has the confidence of families in tomorrow strengthened?
We can deepen the understanding of common development, which our President articulated at the international level, with the concrete answers we provide to these questions.
In the understanding of development I advocate, the human being is a fair partner in the value they produce with their labor.
The calculation of development should not be considered complete without accounting for the human share.
May you forgive me.
May you be entrusted to God.