THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL AID ON POLITICAL CHOICES OF THE POOR: A STUDY ON THE URBAN POOR

In our country, political choices of the poor is a discussion topic as important as the reasons for and the results of poverty. especially during the election periods, discussions arise in politics and on media on the idea that the poor make political choices based on the social aid they receive. like every other individual, the poor also make political choices based on a set of expectations and factors in periods of general/local elections. in this sense, the poor, in addition to other factors, also pay regard to projects with economic and social nature that bring solutions to their problems and will make their lives easier. the purpose of this study is to understand whether social aid has effects on political choices of the poor, and if it does, to what extent these effects work. findings of the study were gathered by field research conducted on 220 impoverished individuals living in elazığ city center. according to the data, political parties are in the third place after social assistance foundations and municipalities among the institutions and organizations from which the poor receive the highest amount of social aid. while the poor who receive aid from political parties are likely to make a political choice in favor of these parties, it has been observed that economic pledges and pledges towards jobs and employment by political parties are more effective on the poor’s political choices.