Political Islam and Economic Development in Turkey

Abstract

The developments of the last decade in Turkey, the upgrading of the country internationally, as well as the new social phenomena that characterize it, is the evidence that triggers the search for answers to questions that caused these changes. In view of the political developments of recent years marked mainly by the six consecutive electoral successes of the ruling Justice and Development party, then the questions of change in Turkey, focus on logical and justified longer case, that a key exponent of change is the Justice and Development Party of Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdoğan with the recoil of the army and the start of a new era this of Political Islam. This paper seeks to analyze the root causes of the prevalence of Justice and development party in recent years, through the juxtaposition of the overall course of Turkish political Islam and the way in which political Islam is linked to the economy and the economic development of Turkey. In the first chapter of the essay, is mentioned the economic development in Turkey from 1923 and the birth of Turkish republic until 2001 and the last financial crisis in Turkey. Through this analysis of the past years, it is conducted an effort to show how and why political Islam arise in Turkey and how it was expressed until the government of Recep Tayip Erdoğan. The second part of the essay gives weight to the period after the economic crisis of 2001 and the victory of Justice and Development Party of Recep Tayip Erdoğan. The essay presents the efforts of Justice and Development Party to lead the neoliberal model of economic development of Turkey during the early years of the 21st century, but also the impact of this effort in transforming the Turkish State until today. Finally, the analysis attempts to give answers and conduct conclusions for the future of Turkey and how political Islam affects the economic development of the country.