Pacification and Pacification Strategy: The Placebo Effect in Politics

Abstract

Pacifier and comforter political tactics, implemented in international politics, are frequently used by populist leaders in domestic politics too. Populist policies are implemented not only by leaders in power but also by opposition leaders. The main opposition party in Turkey, the Republican People's Party (CHP), changed its leader with the efforts of a group that wanted change after unsuccessful elections. However, the new leader implemented this tactic exceptionally successfully. This article is an academic study on how Özgür Özel, the new leader of the CHP, implemented this policy. A qualitative evaluation was made on this issue by analyzing the opinions of 20 social media writers who support or have not supported the CHP before. These tactics create important effects that are worth examining in terms of political psychology. These effects work mostly in the short and medium term, but they have a feature that returns to the user in the medium and long term.