Research Article

POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Volume: 2 Number: 62 May 1, 2014
  • S. A. Avcu
RU EN TR

POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Abstract

This article explores the political consequences of economic reforms, particularly the relationship between economic reforms, the behaviors of Islamic movements and implications for democratization. This study traces the twenty-year process from economic reforms caused by debt crisis during the 1980s to outcomes of violence or non-violence during the 1990s. Economic reforms change the interest structure of the society. If Islamic groups are included in the winning coalition need to carry out of reform, they often benefit from reforms. If Islamic groups are benefiting from reforms, they support liberal economic policies. If they are losing, they support statist policies that provide material benefits. Islamist movements radicalize when they face oppression if two conditions present. First, if the losers comprise the majority of Islamists, the radicals among them outweigh the moderates. Second, if Islamists are homogenous unprivileged groups in terms of their economic and social circumstances, they solve the collective action problem and turn violence. On the contrary, if they are diverse among the classes, ranging from bourgeoisie to workers, they cannot solve the collective action problems and stay moderate. I argue that Algerian Islamists fit the first category because they are mostly unemployed, educated urban youth, while Turkish Islamists can be found in all social classes including bourgeoisie. Therefore we get violence in Algeria but not in Turkey. I apply Mill’s method of agreement and method of difference to eliminate rival hypotheses and use process tracing to explain the stages of causal mechanism from debt crisis to the outcome of violence or non-violence

Keywords

References

  1. Addi, Lahouari.1996. "Algeria's Tragic Contradictions" Journal of Democracy 7, 3: 94-107.
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  8. Haggard, Stephan and Steven B. Webb. 1994. “Introduction”, Voting For Reform: Democracy, Political Liberalization, and Economic Adjustment. Edited by Stephan Haggard and Steven B. Webb. New York: Published for the World Bank, Washington, DC: Oxford University Press,)

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Political Science

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

S. A. Avcu This is me

Publication Date

May 1, 2014

Submission Date

May 1, 2014

Acceptance Date

-

Published in Issue

Year 2014 Volume: 2 Number: 62

APA
Avcu, S. A. (2014). POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. Reforma, 2(62), 7-16. https://izlik.org/JA29JB39AC
AMA
1.Avcu SA. POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. Reforma. 2014;2(62):7-16. https://izlik.org/JA29JB39AC
Chicago
Avcu, S. A. 2014. “POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST”. Reforma 2 (62): 7-16. https://izlik.org/JA29JB39AC.
EndNote
Avcu SA (May 1, 2014) POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. Reforma 2 62 7–16.
IEEE
[1]S. A. Avcu, “POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST”, Reforma, vol. 2, no. 62, pp. 7–16, May 2014, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA29JB39AC
ISNAD
Avcu, S. A. “POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST”. Reforma 2/62 (May 1, 2014): 7-16. https://izlik.org/JA29JB39AC.
JAMA
1.Avcu SA. POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. Reforma. 2014;2:7–16.
MLA
Avcu, S. A. “POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST”. Reforma, vol. 2, no. 62, May 2014, pp. 7-16, https://izlik.org/JA29JB39AC.
Vancouver
1.S. A. Avcu. POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. Reforma [Internet]. 2014 May 1;2(62):7-16. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA29JB39AC