Relevance of the Turkish

Democratization in the Arab World :Turkish Model

Aswini K. Mohapatra

– The Subject Headings: 1. Evolution of the Turkish

Polity 2. Transition to Liberal

Democracy

3. Democracy in the Arab World

4. Relevance of the Turkish Model in the Arab World

EvolutIon of the turkısh polity

Evolution of Turkish Republic

• In 23rd of April,1923, Turkish Republic is established

• The Republican People’s Party (RPP)

• Small group of Westernized elites

• ’’Bureaucratic ruling tradition’’ from the Ottoman times

• Bureaucracy was the part of the political centre

• Supported by military • Paternal state : Devlet

Baba

EvolutIon of the turkısh polity 6 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF ATATURK (6

ARROWS)

• Republicanism:• Kemalism believes that it is only the republican regime which can best

represent the wishes of the people.• Populism:• This was a revolution led by an elite with an orientation towards people

in general. Women received the right to vote in 1934. • Secularism:• Kemalist secularism did not merely mean separation of state and

religion, but also the separation of religion from educational and legal affairs.

• Reformism: Turkey made reforms and that the country replaced traditional

institutions with modern institutions. Nationalism:• Kemalist nationalism believes in the principle that the Turkish state is an

indivisible whole comprising its territory and people.• Statism:• The state was to regulate the country's general economic activity and

the state was to engage in areas where private enterprise was not willing to do so, or where private enterprise had proved to be inadequate, or if national interest required it.

EvolutIon of the turkısh polity• Turkey had signed UN Charter in 1945• Competitive Party System-after World War

II.• The Democrat Party is established (DP) in

1945• Intense Conflict between RPP and DP• The Military Coup in 1960• The Government of Prime Minister Adnan

Menderes was overthrown• The 1961 Constitution framed• Justice Party (The Successor of the DP)

formed the government• The Semi Military Coup in 1971• Deep Political and Ideological Polarization

between JP and RPP

EvolutIon of the turkısh polity• The Economic Package announced by Süleyman The Economic Package announced by Süleyman

DemirelDemirel• Displeasure among Other PartiesDispleasure among Other Parties• The encounters the Kurdish Separatists and the The encounters the Kurdish Separatists and the

Ultra-Nationalists Ultra-Nationalists • Party leaders warned by the MilitaryParty leaders warned by the Military• The Turkish Military made an official declaration in The Turkish Military made an official declaration in

1980 “ It had a duty to step in.”1980 “ It had a duty to step in.”• The Main Reason: The Massive meeting organized by The Main Reason: The Massive meeting organized by

Necmettin Erbakan, the leader of The National Necmettin Erbakan, the leader of The National Salvation Party (NSP)Salvation Party (NSP)

• Kenan Evren, the general of the coup elected as Kenan Evren, the general of the coup elected as PresidentPresident

• Motherland Party (ANAP) by Turgut ÖzalMotherland Party (ANAP) by Turgut Özal• 3 Party Coalition among – RP , DSP and RPP 3 Party Coalition among – RP , DSP and RPP

TRANSITION TO LIBERAL DEMOCRACY

PROBLEMATIC SIDES OF TURKEY’S DEMOCRACY

• The Absence of Democratic Political Culture• High Level of Human Rights Abuse• Denial of Cultural Liberties to the Minority

Kurds• Kurdish Separatism • Islamic Extremism• Intense Polarization as Left wing and Right

wing• Primacy of The Military

TRANSITION TO LIBERAL DEMOCRACY

• After Justice and Development Party (AKP) :• Supporting for Turkish Integration into global

economy• Supporting Membership in the European

Union • Overall alignment with the West• Electing AKP was a YES to :• Democratic Reforms• Market Economy and Open Society• The EU Membership Process• Opening up to the World

TRANSITION TO LIBERAL DEMOCRACY

• With AKP, The Proposed Reforms:• Complete Freedom of Expression• Assosiation to Removel of Legal

Provisions on the usage of mothertongue

• Protection of Minority and Human Rigts

• Democratic Control of Armed Forces• Decentralization of Power

The Leader of AKP, Recep Tayyip The Leader of AKP, Recep Tayyip ERDOGANERDOGAN

DEMOCRATIZATION IN THE ARAB WORLD :

RELEVANCE OF THE TURKISH MODEL

• It contradicts correlation between levels of socio-economic development and propensity for democratic rule

• The success of electoral democracy in Turkey • It had debunked the claim that Islam is

incompatible with democracy• Turkish- Islamic Synthesis• Turkey’s historical and institutional linkages

with the West and its resolve to maintain these linkages have made the military sensitive to external pressures

RELEVANCE OF THE TURKISH MODEL• Turkey’s democracy can’t be a model ;

• The absence of Turkey’s historical and structural conditions in the Arab World

• Inherrited strong state-traditions from Ottoman Empire such as:

Statecraft and respect for state • Absence of a strong landed class in Anatolia • Powerful upper landed class in Arab States • Consolidation of State Authority• Escaped from colonialism and mandate

RELEVANCE OF THE TURKISH MODEL

• Authoritarian state structure emerged in the Arab World, was consolidated by 3 factors;

• Conflict with Israil• Entanglement of the region in

superpower rivalry during the Cold War period

• The Oil Economy of the 1970s –Huge Oil Reserves and Geo-Strategic Utility

RELEVANCE OF THE TURKISH MODEL

“The winds of democratic change have swept all parts of the world except our region, because America wants us to have dictators and monarchical presidents to ensure that we remain weak and vanquished. The geo-strategic imperatives such as a reliable oil supply, necessity to find new markets, protection of the Jewish state of Israel and containment of political Islam have all played a decisive role in exempting the Arab world from Western pressures to democratize.”

The Editor of Al-Quds al-Arabi

Conclusion: • As a conclusion, even though Turkish

Model of democracy does provide an example for Arab liberal reformers, currently campaigning for democracy and political pluralism in the region, Turkish experience is sui generis and cannot be replicated by any other state in the region.

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