Politico-Economic Developments in Turkey and the Transformation of Political Islam (1950–2010)

Between 1946 and 2010, Turkey evolved from a backward, closed agrarian economy into an open, urbanized economy with a significant industrial base capable of exporting a diverse set of products to many countries. The Turkish political system was transformed into a multi-party regime that allowed participation of the masses to political process. These developments led to a change in the political demands of the different segments of the society (including the Islamic political community) and revisions in the fundamental political concepts (such as secularism). Although Turkey has not been able to reach its long term goal of becoming a developed liberal democracy, the steps taken during this period enabled the smooth transfer of power to the Islamic-based AKP in 2003 elections. Turkey’s experience reveals that establishing a sound institutional base for multi-party democracy and market economy is a long and difficult process. It requires the resolution of a series conflicts among different interest groups and securing wide public support in an uncertain environment. Once these issues are taken into account, it is possible to detect a historical pattern in Turkey’s evolution, which can explain the 2003 election victory of the AKP and its success in the years that followed.