Abstract
Abstract
This article traces the evolution of Turkey’s foreign and economic policy from one that preferred to deal mainly with the West to one that also includes other geographic regions and the impact of the change in power to the Justice and Development Party JDP more than 10 years ago on Turkish foreign policy-making. Turkey’s Middle East policies are at the heart of Turkey’s evolution in its foreign policy yet this change was brought about by changes in the domestic structure of the Turkish economy. Starting in the 1980s the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Turkish economy, dubbed the Anatolian Tigers and centered in cities outside the traditional business centers of Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, paved the way for the growth of trade relations with the Middle East. For many of these companies Turkey’s eastern neighbors and the Middle East presented a culture and environment that was familiar and easy to do business with. As trade with the region grew, Turkey’s political landscape and foreign policy also shifted. As a result, Turkey's export to the Middle East and North Africa has risen eleven-fold while its trade with the EU its biggest trading partner has steadily declined as a percentage of its overall trade. The paper ultimately argues that pre-Arab Spring, the Turkish model of economic growth, coupled with its unique mix of secularism, Islam and democracy may have presented a model for the authoritarian regimes of the Middle East however, in the post-Arab Spring environment, the Turkish model and Turkey’s relations with the newer leaders in power in the region have come under question as Turkey’s foreign policy in the region was initially based on the status quo of the pre-existing regimes. The Arab Spring presents many opportunities and many challenges in this respect.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Political Science |
| Journal Section | Research Article |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | May 1, 2012 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2012 Issue: 43 |