By: Chris Cummins
Staff Writer
While all the uproar about the rise of Asia has focused on the surging dual giants of India and China, Turkey, the onetime “sick man of Europe”, has seen remarkable strides in the economic realm as well, and has emerged as a bright spot in a Middle East sorely needing one. This is due in no small part to its being a democracy, a proponent of free markets, and a secular Islamist society, in stark contrast to a Middle East known for its fervent adherence to autocracy and religious fundamentalism. This has been the case for many years, at least until recent events seem to have unknot, if not undo that reputation.
This heaving economic growth is perhaps made most manifest by the precipitous rise of Turkey’s stock market; in 2009, the market index nearly doubled in price, a rise and growth second only to that of Argentina. It has come a far ways from the sort of stagnant, government run economy that defined Islamist nations in the decade of Reagan, and now is one of the most stable economies in the world, let alone the Middle East. This sort of stability is best reflected in the a recent Moody’s evaluation, in which Turkey’s credit rating not only held steady, but was upgraded in a climate of severe economic recession. It seemed for a time as if Turkey was on the verge of converting adjoining Middle East countries to capitalism and democracy by the mere force of its newly gained influence and wealth, a prediction and hope echoed by many pundits on all sides of the globe.
In recent years, however, it seems as if this abiding sense of division between Islam and government has taken an abrupt turn. Turkey’s most recent election, in which conservative and religious party of Turkey, known as the Islamist Justice and Development Party, took 34% of the vote, would seem to augur a more religious, rather than secular, political climate. It’s refusal to push for tougher sanctions in regards to Iran has rankled those in Europe and the U.S., as well as it’s tough stand on Israel’s boarding of a peace flotilla headed towards Palestine. It remains to be seen whether this is Turkey asserting itself on the world stage, or an actual turn towards the far right of the political spectrum. The above actions have generally been seen as a troubling turn for a so called moderate country, and not one suited to a friend of both West and East, with some Western observers musing about whether that political tight walk can be maintained, or bend eastward.

For more information on Turkey, visit https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html