Income Inequality and Social Divide Deepen in Turkey

Columnist İlhami Işık points out that two distinct and disconnected lifestyles have emerged within the same economy in Turkey, drawing attention to the effects of income inequality on social stability.

According to Işık's analysis, while one segment struggles for basic food and livelihood, the other continues to maintain high consumption habits. Based on data from the TurkStat Income Distribution Statistics, the top 20 percent income group receives 48 percent of the total income, while the share of the lowest 20 percent remains at 6.4 percent.

In the data where the Gini coefficient is recorded as 0.410, it is observed that the income of the wealthiest segment is approximately 7.5 times that of the poorest segment. Işık emphasizes that while high inflation protects asset owners, it rapidly erodes the purchasing power of low-income groups and the middle class, creating negative effects on social trust.