By resoundingly voting to reform their constitution in Sunday's referendum, Turks took a giant step in their 87-year march toward full democracy. They also strengthened a government that has catapulted Turkey from a near-invisibility on the world stage to the status of a rising new power.
While European societies are mired in recession, paralyzed by self-doubt and divided by rising social conflicts, Turkey is hurtling toward the future. Sunday's vote further strengthened its credentials as a model of capitalist democracy in the Muslim world -- a model the West desperately needs to promote as an antidote to extremism.
Turkey's new activism on the world stage is fueled not only by the strength of its democracy, but also by its booming economy. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan never misses a chance to repeat, like a mantra, his determination that Turkey become one of the world's top ten economies (it is now number 16). Prospects are good. This year Turkey's economy is projected to grow by more than 11 percent, second only to China.
Yet the 58 percent vote in favor of constitutional reform on Sunday was not an unmixed victory for democracy. The campaign leading up to the vote was ugly. Prime Minister Erdogan, while urging a vote for what he described as democratic reforms, descended to vivid threats and ethnic slurs. He led did little to allay fears that his real goal is not increased democracy, but more power for himself -- power he could use to make Turkey more religious.
Many of my secularist friends in Turkey are terrified by this prospect. One, who runs a pro-democracy think tank, wrote me last week that Erdogan's behavior on the campaign trail "looks like good old authoritarianism, and would have been reprimanded anywhere else in Europe." Another, a college professor, said she was disturbed by his "increasingly aggressive attempt to silence the opposition, which is hardly conducive to democratization."
In his victory speech on Sunday, Erdogan signaled that he understood the bitterness this campaign stirred. "If I have offended anyone, I apologize," he said. Now he needs to act on this noble sentiment. That means working systematically to seek a broader social consensus on sensitive issues, especially those related to religion and democracy.
Passage of the reforms on Sunday strengthens the case for an entirely new constitution to replace the one imposed by generals after they seized power in 1980. If a new constitution guarantees free speech and the right to individual and group identity, it could permanently consolidate Turkey's democracy. But if it seems to be just a power grab -- or, worse, a bid to roll back secularism -- it will deepen polarization and threaten Turkey's remarkable rise to political and economic power.
Sunday's vote invigorated those who argue that Turkey should be admitted to the European Union. "It's very important to show some momentum," said British Foreign Secretary William Hague, "and the UK will be trying to make sure that happens over the next few months." Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb of Finland saluted Turkey as "a truly global player" and "one of the top five countries in the world today." Opposition to Turkish membership, however, remains strong in both of the EU's key countries, France and Germany. Rather than wait endlessly for Europe to change its mind, Turkey is actively pursuing its own security agenda -- one that has made it a powerful new force in Middle East politics.
The key to Turkey's success as a nation has been its ability to evolve as times change. It was founded as an authoritarian state in 1923, when the authoritarian ideal was ascendant. After World War II, democracy became the global faith, and Turkey did what few countries in modern history have done: transform itself voluntarily from a one-party state to a multi-party state. In the 1980s Turkey dumped its state-dominated economic model and embraced trans-national capitalism. When human rights groups spotlighted torture in Turkish prisons during the 1990s, the government cracked down and prison torture all but ended. Now, through the ballot box, Turks are pushing generals back to their barracks and ensuring the primacy of voters.
Today's Turkey is young, vibrant, increasingly urban, and highly globalized. It is also, however, plagued by dramatic regional disparities, dogged by a seemingly endless conflict with its resentful Kurdish population, and increasingly polarized along the religious-secular divide. How its newly triumphant leaders deal with these challenges will shape the future of one of the most promising countries of the young 21st century.
Stephen Kinzer teaches international relations at Boston University. His new book is Reset: Iran, Turkey, and America's Future.
Kudos to the middle class Turkish ppl who have worked very well over the years educating themselves, and creating a vibrant capitalist market...actions def. speak louder than words, and Turkey is doing just that... democracy is already flowing their way...
Each state in the Muslim world must develop according to their own unique social, political and economic realities. To assume that they have anything substantially in common with Turkey is to fall into the same kind of trap that made the War on Terror so saleable. These are entirely different entities that must each make their own mistakes and forge their own futures.
Kuwait will never evolve the same way as Syria. Or Indonesia. Or Algeria. We must stop lumping these countries together and start appreciating their very real differences. Though to be fair, they need to do so first: the "Arab" nation no longer exists - if it ever truly did - and I'd like to know what "Muslim" countries have in common besides rhetoric.
Germany, for example, has laws restricting freedom of expression that prompted one friend of mine to ask "When exactly was Germany taken over by North Korea?" On the other hand, America has capital punishment, which most Germans I know apparently regard as a barbarian custom.
Democracies do not necessarily have common values beyond democracy. It is nonsense to pretend that "Western" countries are basically all on one page, while "Muslim" countries are on another.
Theoretical generalization should stay where it was born, the classroom.
Reality, as we all know, is way more complex and trying to give a "real world" hard definition (soft definitions involve ranges and estimates) to Democracy or Capitalism you are kind of screwed.
The best way to prove this is to think of two countries with completely identical government, economic, and cultural systems, and then give up and realize its impossible.
Many secular writers and journalists in Turkey have been targeted by the bearded wonders of Turkey.
The world needs to stand with these progressives in Turkey. But the EU is doing a terrible harm by not standing with these secular progressives. They have instead thrown them under the bus so to speak.
The IsIamists in Turkey have a resurgence and in the process of tearing up a beautiful country called Turkey.
This is the inflection point for the Turks. I wonder what decision the Turks at large make. Are they going to throw Ataturk and bring in the Bearded wonders or not?
Many secular writers and journalists in Turkey have been targeted by the bearded wonders of Turkey.
The world needs to stand with these progressives in Turkey. But the EU is doing a terrible harm by not standing with these secular progressives. They have instead thrown them under the bus so to speak.
The IsIamists in Turkey have a resurgence and in the process of tearing up a beautiful country called Turkey.
This is the inflection point for the Turks. I wonder what decision the Turks at large make. Are they going to throw Ataturk and bring in the Bearded wonders or not?
Bearded wonder???
Fortunately, Turkish ppl are not stuck up on two very shallow options...
I am amused by his optimism that Ergenekon case is baseless & politically motivated. Turkey has already gone through 3+1 military coups in the last 50 years. 1960, 1971 and 1980 coups were not even against the religious groups (i.e. they were not done to protect secularism). The army has a clear tendency to intervene in politics by force. The fact that he is dismissing the possibility of another coup (by a group of generals including his brother-in-law) proves me once again that love makes people blind!
" the constitutional package, which was presented to voters for a single, up-or-down vote, also contains a sweeping reorganization of the Constitutional Court and Turkey's other top judicial body, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors. Each would be expanded, and the power of appointment would be shifted to the president and legislature. Until now, Turkey's judiciary has been a bastion of secularism and thus of resistance to Mr. Erdogan. The Constitutional Court struck down his initiative allowing women to wear head scarves in state schools and came within one vote of outlawing his party.
Now Mr. Erdogan will have the power to place his appointees in a dominating position. The opposition charges that the courts will become merely another arm of the ruling party -- which, it claims, is carrying out a "creeping coup" against the secular state."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/18/AR2010091803143.html
The problem in Turkey is not "secularism vs islamic fundamentalism". The problem is democracy vs autocracy/militarism/authoritarianism.
"democratic vs authoritarian government"...so, you imply that the army protected democracy by being anti-democratic...I hope you are OK that I classify a military coup against an elected-government as anti-democratic...so, the army was on the side of democracy and the elected government was on the side of the authoritarian government in your equation...amazing!
Remember, the military did not hold on to power in any of those cases. They, in relatively short order, transitioned again to elected democratic officials.
1960 coup, transition time: 17 months - hardly a military hold on power
1971 coup, transition time: 0, because the military did not take over, but simply demanded that the government take action to curb violence, choas and extremism and regain control of the country under threat of military intervention
1980 coup, transition time: 3 years, the longest transition period, during which the committee of 160 experts drafted a new constitution, which 92% of Turks approved in a referendum (voting on a constitution - very undemocratic, I know).
And don't forget the 1997 coup, which like the 1971 coup, involved no military takeover, only a military ultimatum. Many of the concerns of the military leading up to this coup were specifically the growing islamist activities of the state and the right wing religious groups - which is probably why you neglacted to list it in your comment - including "al quds day protests", shutting down illegal religious (islamic) schools, banning headscarf at universities, and requiring a mandatory 8 years of primary school education for all Turks, among other things.
the voted reforms will address that issue as well. beware that who you are supporting are the ones actually that kept turkey undemocratic for nearly a century
Istanbul is a very moidern city with very liberal folks and many Turks are very modern in their outlook. But there are many Islamists there as well. They support Pakistan just because they are Muslims. This kind of thinking means, Turkey is an Islamic country at heart. They can't hide that fact.
by the way, instead of hanging around in ultrasecularist enclaves you should have visited other districts in istanbul and make some friends of those "islamists" (it feels like you call every person displaying signs of their islamic belief an islamist)
nevertheless, Turkey will not be a tail for Israel anymore, so I do understand your concerns
Muslims are proud ppl, however the current situation in the ME is mainly due to the political corruption, and its up to us to take back our respective countries, and create a tolerant, vibrant society while staying true to our heritage...
Your idea of being modern is shallow... As a Muslim, I am very independent and modern, yet just because I do not conform to western lifestyle, I am automatically perceived as backward?!?!..
I am unique, influenced yes by Hollywood fashion, yet I stand by my values. That is the most important aspect of democracy...to be proud, free-spirited, and confident about yourself, and protected by you state...So Turkey is a Muslim country that has a wonderful history...yet I find these secularist individuals who just happen to be the rich and elite very hypocritical and anti-democratic... research and you may find a lot of their ideology just doesn't sit well with America...
But still, I don't trust the Islamists (The garden variety Muslims are ok) when they get into power. They don't have a good record.
And this is progress? Really?
oh by the way, how about India's big interest in Afghanistan? I heard India was one of the few countries in Asia supporting Russian invasion in 80s...was that a progress?
Why does America stand with KSA Royals, hand in hand...Somalia TFG, Pakistan, Afghanistan Karazi, and many more...if you do not understand the bigger picture of our political world...then at least do some your homework... you're on the internet...GOOGLE...smh
What is the political impetus for a democratic and secular Turkey to side with ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN against India. India has the second largest Muslim population in the world living in a democratic system.
They even took in Greece, and look what they have done!
Easily the funniest post I've read today. thank you.