Many commentators today are basing the success of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the June 12 elections largely on its ability to guide the country through a decade of remarkable growth.
Economic indicators are often seen as the obvious logic behind economic stability – or the lack thereof. However, they are not enough on their own to reach such sweeping conclusions.
In an article entitled, ‘Look toward Turkey’s economy to understand Erdogan’s re-election’, Ibrahim Ozturk opined: “From 2002 to 2007, Turkey experienced its longest period of uninterrupted economic growth, which averaged 6-7 percent year on year, while annual inflation plummeted. Moreover, the economy proved resilient following the global financial crisis, with growth recovering rapidly.” (Lebanese Daily Star, June 18).
According to Ozturk’s perceptive analysis, the AKP’s success in picking up the pieces of a shattered economy (as a result of the 2001 severe economic ‘crisis’), and the ever-popular Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan “appear to have secured democratic political control of Turkey’s military and bureaucracy.” The powerful Turkish military had repeatedly interfered in the country’s politics, leading three military coups which all but destroyed Turkish democracy.
The very promising Turkish political experience, now branded the “Turkish model”, had its many challenges. It took a new generation of Turkish leaders to position their country as a politically stable regional power with a rising economy (the GDP registered an increase of 9 percent in 2010).
Did sound, self-assured policies engender a strong economy, or was economic growth responsible for the political stability (by keeping the military at bay, thus further solidifying Turkey’s democratic experience)?
Libya is an interesting example to consider while reflecting on this question. The North African country, which is currently undergoing an armed revolt and Western-led war, had been scoring high in terms of sheer numbers. Thanks to petroleum-generated revenues, and a small population, Libya has the highest per capita GDP in Africa. Its economic growth has been relatively stunning from 2000 onwards. In 2010, GDP grew by over 10 percent.
For many Libyans however, social justice, distribution of wealth, political freedom and other issues proved of greater relevance than gratifying GDP charts.
In Egypt too, despite the greater poverty experienced by the much larger population (compared to Libya), the youth of the January 25 revolution came from varied economic backgrounds. For many of them, freedom seemed to top mere economic sustenance.
Turkey’s case is not dissimilar to these. In fact, a discussion of Turkey’s success cannot be reduced to one decade of economic growth and political stability. More, ‘modern Turkey’ cannot be reduced to the palpable successes of the AKP. It goes back to earlier generations, starting with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. A larger-than-life figure in the eyes of several generations of Turks, Ataturk was able to win Turkey’s independence – no easy feat, considering the challenges of the time. However, neither he nor his style of politics resolved the question of Turkey’s cultural and political identity as a majority Muslim country that defined modernity based almost exclusively on Western values. This question actually lingered in the country for decades.
One could argue that situating Turkey in suitable socioeconomic, cultural and political contexts was one of the greatest challenges facing modern Turkish politicians.
For decades, Turkey was torn between its historical ties to Muslim and Arab countries on the one hand, and the impulsive drive towards Westernization on the other. The latter seemed much more influential in forming the new Turkish identity in its individual, collective, and thus foreign policy manifestation and outlook.
Even during the push and pull, Turkey grew in import as a political and economic player. It also grew into a nation with a decisive sense of sovereignty, a growing sense of pride and a daring capacity for asserting itself as a regional power.
In the 1970s, when ‘political Islam’ was on the rise throughout the region, Turkey was experiencing its own rethink. Various politicians and groups began grappling with the idea of taking political Islam to a whole new level.
In fact, it was the late Dr Necmettin Erbakan, Prime Minister of Turkey between 1996 and 1997, who began challenging the conventional notion of Turkey as a second-class NATO member desperate to identify with everything Western.
In the late 1980s Erbakan’s Rafah Party (the Welfare Party) took Turkey by storm. The party was hardly apologetic about its Islamic roots and attitude. Its rise to power as a result of the 1995 general elections raised alarm, as the securely ‘pro-Western’ Turkey was deviating from the very the rigid script that wrote off the country’s regional role as that of a “lackey of NATO”, (a phrase used by Salama A Salama in an Al-Ahram Weekly article last year).
The days of Erbakan might be long gone, but the man’s legacy never departed Turkish national consciousness. He began the process of repositioning Turkey – politically, as well as economically – with the creation of the Developing Eight (D-8), which united the most politically significant Arab and Muslim countries. When Erbakan was forced to step down in a ‘postmodernist’ military coup, it was understood as the end of short-lived political experiment.
But the 2002 election win of the (AKP) rekindled Erbakan’s efforts through a young and savvy new political leadership. This has just been awarded yet a third mandate to continue its program of economic growth, political and constitutional reforms.
Now Turkey seems to be offering more than stability at home. It is also serving as a regional model to its neighbors, an important contribution in the age of Arab revolutions and potential political transformations.
It is essential that the Turkish experience is not reduced to only charts and numbers delineating economic growth. Some very wealthy countries are politically restless. The success of the Turkish model supersedes the economy to sensible political governance, democracy, the revitalization of civil society and its many institutions.
Good economic indicators can be promising, but without responsible leadership to guide growth and distribute wealth, political stability is never guaranteed.
Does Baroud know that Turkey has invited the war criminal to use bases in Turkey to stage a
Military strike against another Muslim country? If yes, then we have a right to tell Baroud get lost from politics of the Middle East because you act in the interest of the West. We don’t need people like YOU. Do you know that?
{Turkey has agreed that NATO can turn its airbase in Turkey into a base for ground operations into Syria. Other troops will arrive from Spain to be placed at the Izmir Air Station in western Turkey, which will now become the centre for ground troops.}
Turkey is the Trojan Horse of US imperialism and Zionism in the region, for this reason Turkey is NO UNDER ANY SANCTION, like Israel. Does Ramzy Baroud know that Libya had a better economy than Turkey and was not in bed with Israel, the enemy of Palestinians that you claim to support? Don’t you know that Erdugan is in bed with the West against Muslim country to expand her economy that you admire? Turkey is not our ‘model’. Turkey is the Trojan horse of the west to expand their interest in Muslim countries and Turkey has benefited from this kind of relationship with the West at the expense of people in the region especially Palestinians, Iranians and Syrians and others. We are not a TRAITOR to push Turkey as a model. Only imperialists, colonials and Zionists and their agents push for traitor like Turkey.
Erdugon is an impostor and a war criminal like Obama, Cameron, Sarkozy and other, yet the left has chosen to be silent against Turkey. Turkey’s economy is advancing because the Zionist stooge, Obama, has forced sanction on Iran, Syria and other countries where TURKEY, chained dog of imperialism, benefits, not because of Turkey’s economic system which is neoliberal to the core. If Iran was not under ziofascists sanction, then Iran’s economy was much better than Turkey.
It is shameful that many Arab ‘intellectuals’ like Baroud have joined US imperialism not only giving Turkey a ‘clean’ card, (where has recognized Israel 60 years ago and have strong military and economic ties with Israel against the interest of Palestinians and Arab population, yet propagandists ignore the fact that Turkey makes Israeli soldiers’ boots that hit Palestinians doors and faces).
These phony ‘intellectuals’ are either gullible persons or opportunists. Don’t they know that United States is working with Turkey and Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and elsewhere in the region to shape the region in US and Israel image? Is baroud that ignorant? Baroud supports the US/Israel, NATO where Turkey is part of it, military action against Libya and Syria which is shameful. US, Turkey, MB and Saudi Arabia are trying to establish Sunni camp against Iran, Hezbollah, and Shiites, to serve US/Israel interest. Why Ramzy Baroud has never written an article to expose Arab reactionaries such as Saudi Arabia? No one listen to Baroud, an opportunist.
we have seen nothing but lies and empty slogans by Erdugan ‘against Israel’ to fool Arabs to implement policy harmful to Palestinian to benefit imperialism and Zionism and apparently this policy is supported by gullible people, otherwise Baroud would have been more careful in his praise for Turkey:
{Despite Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ’s immense popularity, the success of the Turkish model is clearly institutionalized, and not merely inspired by one charismatic individual. This sets Turkey apart from most countries in the Middle East.}
He does not tell you that Turkey is NOT UNDER ANY SANCTION. Turkey is given concessions after concessions because Turkey actively is KILLING Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and now Syria to help imperialism/Zionism agenda to establish ‘New Middle East” to benefit the West and its pawn TURKEY, against the interest of Palestinians. Shame
Good article, pointless comments.
Sorry Azar. But you keep saying that Turkey is the trojan horse countless times without giving a clue of your claim. Lets clean up the mess you have created and take a closer look on those:
1. Turkey helping NATO to make a ground attack against Syria:
Did you saw in a nightmare of yours or what. Just yesterday NATO secretary declared that “They don’t like the killings in Syria, but NATO does not plan an intervention.”. Turkey is the country who rejected USA using its land for the IRAQ war back in 2001. Than which ground did the USA used for their attack. Raise hands! Ups. Yeah! right. It was Saudi ARABia and some others ARAB brothers of IRAQ.
By the way some geography should be vital before shooting some lies. Izmir is almost 1000 km. away from Syrian border. If I were you I would say they were using Iskenderun and Adana which are closer than 200 km to the border.
I suppose your limited English let you understand the whole thing upwards. Izmir was selected as a strategical command center for NATO operations over Libya, not the actual attack base. Again some geography, otherwise it would be extremely stupid of NATO, launching the airplains from Izmir rather than Italy or Greece. That must be the Izmir you are talking about. the connection your mixture of Libya and Syria events and pouring some other geographical definitions is awesome in terms of black marketing. Good for you but hardly anybody would eat that.
By the way on the contrary what you claim, I believe Turkey is too soft on the BAAS regime shooting almost 1.500 of Muslims (they are almost gonna catch Israil Gazza Attack in 2008 if they work a little bit).
2. Turkey is the trojan horse of USA and Zionism.
So funny that I am holding my balls not to drop of laughing. What was that Egyptian Tyrants name who have been blockading Gazza border, to help Israil control 750.000 Palestinians. Mubarak or something! Hmmmm! And as far as I remember Egypt was also an ARAB brother, wasn’t it.
And by the way, why there would be sanctions on Turkey, what are you talking about for gods sake!
Not to remind you but 90 % of ARAB tyrants are already in bed with the USA. Didn’t you know that there are more than 1 trillion Dollars (1.000 billion) of investment in the USA.
3. Libya is richer than Turkey.
Bahrain is also richer. The thing is Turkeys economic growth is industrial and based on production, it is not .hitting oil in the end. It is hard earned money. And not to remind money does not makes you more humanistic and less tyrant (ie. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain etc.)
By the way Turkey is the 17th biggest economy in the world where Libya is the 74th.
4. Turkey being a trojan horse.
Sorry, boy. But Turkey has never been a colony of the West unlike the rest of the Muslim world. It is the strongest and most self confident and most free muslim country and watch it as it goes further. Another option for you to join the revolution to create a much free Arab world, where individuals are respected.