The Rise Of Turkey

The Rise of Turkey
Beth Hill-Skinner
Spring 2012
Property of OutoftheBoxIntl and Beth Hill-
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• These slides accompanied a lecture series given
at University of California, Riverside Extension in
spring of 2012.
• Some of the material has been deleted to avoid
misuse or misrepresentation of the material.
• Due to the changing nature of international
events, some of the information may not be
accurate at the time of your viewing of these
slides.
I hope that you are able to discover the significance
of the nation-state of Turkey at this time in history.
~ Beth Hill-Skinner
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Turkey is on the rise…
– As a diplomatic presence in the world
– As an emerging economic leader
– As a democratic presence in the Middle
East
– As a labor force that is learning to anchor
its future with increasing support for
education and encouragement of the
entrepreneurial culture
– As a fulcrum of Europe, the Middle East,
and Africa
– As a supplier of goods to Central Asia,
the Middle East, Africa and Europe
– As a key ally of the United States
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• This beautiful nation-state has a
rich history and a powerful future.

Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Area: 780,580 sq. km. Capital--Ankara (pop.
4.77 million).
• Other cities--Istanbul (13.256 million), Izmir
(3.949 million), Bursa (2.605 million), Adana
(2.085 million), Gaziantep (1.701 million).
• Narrow coastal plain surrounds Anatolia, an
inland plateau becomes increasingly rugged as it
progresses eastward.
• Turkey includes one of the more earthquake-
prone areas of the world.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Nationality: Noun--Turk(s). Adjective--Turkish.
• Population (December 2010 estimate): 73.7 million.
• Ethnic groups: Turkish, Kurdish, other.
Religions: Muslim 99% (majority Sunni), Christian, Bahai,
and Jewish.
• Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian,
Greek.
• Education: Years compulsory--8. Attendance--97.6%.
Literacy--87.4%.
• Health: Infant mortality rate--23.94/1,000. Life expectancy-
-72.5 yrs.
• Work force (27.43 million): By occupation--services 47.1%;
agriculture 26.5%; industrySkinner and Beth Hill- construction 7.5%.
18.9%; and
Property of OutoftheBoxIntl

The Rise of Turkey
• Independence: October 29, 1923. Constitution: November 7,
1982. Amended in 1987, 1995, 2001, 2007, and 2010.
• Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), prime minister
(head of government), Council of Ministers (cabinet--appointed
by the president on the nomination of the prime minister).
Legislative--Grand National Assembly (550 members) chosen by
national elections at least every 4 years.
• Judicial--Constitutional Court, Court of Cassation, Council of
State, and other courts.
• Political parties with representatives in Parliament: Justice and
Development Party (AKP) (327 seats), Republican People's Party
(CHP) (135 seats), Nationalist Action Party (MHP) (52 seats),
Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) (29 seats), and seven
independents.
Skinner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFnN
GdHei_s&feature=related
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Government is a Republic.
• The Turkish state has been officially secular since 1924.
• Approximately 99% of the population is Muslim.
• Most Turkish Muslims follow the Sunni traditions of
Islam, although a significant number follow Alevi and
Shiite traditions.
• There are at least 12 million Turkish citizens who assert a
Kurdish identity, making them the largest ethnic minority
in Turkey.
• The role of religion in society and government, the role
of linguistic and ethnic identity, and the public's
expectation to live in security dominate public discourse.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
President of the Republic--Abdullah Gul

Prime Minister--Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Minister of Foreign Affairs--Ahmet Davutoglu

Ambassador to the United States--Namik Tan

Ambassador to the UN--Ertugrul Apakan
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• In the June 2011 parliamentary election for
Turkey's 61st government, the AKP captured
49.9% of the total votes, and Recep Tayyip
Erdogan became the Prime Minister of a single-
party government for a third consecutive term.

Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• The rise of Turkey in the 21st century.
• Turkey is a key strategic partner for the U.S.
• The relationship has been strained at times, but
Turkey remains an essential ally for the U.S.
• Obama / Erdogan are said to be in regular
communication

Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Abdullah Gül is the president of Turkey. He
became the 11th president of Turkey on
August 28, 2007, making him the first
Muslim president of modern Turkey. He was
also the Prime Minister of Turkey from 2002
November 18 to 2003 March 14.

HEAD OF STATE
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• More than 70% of Turkey's population lives in
urban areas that juxtapose Western lifestyles
with more traditional ways of life.
• Turkey is a large, middle-income country with
relatively few natural resources. Its economy is
currently in transition from a high degree of
reliance on agriculture and heavy industry to a
more diversified economy with an increasingly
large and globalized services sector.

Skinner

Geo-Strategic Opportunity in the 21st Century

Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the
Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman
Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was
later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of
the Turks.“
• Today Turkey is a powerful nation state.
• It has been a member of NATO since 1952 playing a
key role many times for US forces; particularly for
the Air Force.
• Turkey is a UN member and held a non-permanent
seat on the Security Council from January 1, 2009
to December 31, 2010.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Then President Turgut Ozal began to open up the
economy in the 1980s.
• There has been a customs union with the European
Union since 1995.
• In the 1990s, Turkey's economy suffered from a
series of coalition governments with weak
economic policies, leading to high-inflation boom-
and-bust cycles that culminated in a severe banking
and economic crisis in 2001.
• Turkey's economy recovered strongly from the
2001 recession thanks to good monetary and fiscal
policies and structural economic reforms made
with the support of the International Monetary
Fund and the World Bank.
Skinner

Istanbul, Turkey
The Rise of Turkey Osher – 2012
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Turkey is a unique mix of politics, culture, society,
and religion.
• Although poised for geo-political influence,
Turkey is not without its problems.
– The Kurdish problem
– The Armenian problem
– The EU problem
– The Israeli problem
– The Syrian problem
The Iranian problem)
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Turkey is an ancient people and civilization dating
back to a prehistory of 500,000 B.C.
• In 2012, Turkey is a confluence of cultures,
geography, civilization, and politics.
• Turkey is poised to become a primary nation-state
in the coming decades.
• Turkey represents a form of democracy aligned
with an Islamic nation-Muslim and secular
• Many consider it an example for the Arab states.
• Model might be an overstatement, but Turkey is
certainly an example.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Turkey has sought to be a member of the EU,
but has repeatedly been denied membership.
• One of the key stumbling blocks to opening new
chapters is that Turkey has yet to fully
implement the Ankara Protocol, which requires
normalizing bilateral relations with EU member
Cyprus, which Turkey has said it will not do until
the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities on
the island are reunited.
• We’ll discuss Cyprus in coming weeks.
Skinner

Turkish Republic created / born out of wars

• 1911-1923
• 1808-throughout 19th century
• Ataturk established the modern nation-
state of Turkey with the decided purpose
for peace.
• He recognized that ideology and
rhetoric were mercurial
• Survival is predicated upon stability,
economic growth, and sustainability of
government / social institutions
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Turkey is keenly aware of the perils of
war
• Peace and security are the leitmotifs for
the for geopolitical strategy
• One look at Turkey’s borders and it
becomes clear
• Not only asymmetric challenges but the
neighborhood is fraught with threats to
stability
Skinner

Istanbul
• The largest city and former capital of
Turkey; rebuilt on the site of ancient
Byzantium by Constantine I in the
fourth century; renamed
Constantinople by Constantine who
made it the capital of the Byzantine
Empire; now the seat of the Eastern
Orthodox Church.
Skinner

Istanbul
• The Bosphorus is the strait that
connects the Mediterranean and the
Black Sea
• Separates
Europe and Asia
• Shipping route

Skinner

The Republic of Turkey
• Turkey is a Eurasian republic in Asia
Minor and the Balkans; achieved
independence from the Ottoman Empire
in 1923
• Ankara is the capital city aka angora for
the angora goats that gave rise to the
city
• At the time it was declared the capital,
the population was est. 70,000
• Now, it is est. 4,000,000
Skinner

Where are the Balkans?

Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Turkey is a state that moves toward
confidence-building measures
• This is at times counter to U.S.
foreign policy.
• Cultural relations are an imperative
• Its heritage as a mix of cultures and
ethnicity result in a more flexible
approach to foreign relations. (Syria)
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• 16th largest economy?
• Part of G-20
• Partner in the fight against terrorists
• Moving from traditional agrarian
society/economy to
industrialized/globalized
• Newly industrialized nations often see a
heavy toll in the lives of those who
cannot retrain
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Attila the Hun – 48-216 CE
• White Hun Empire – 420-552 CE
• Gokturk Empire – 552-743 CE
• Avar Empire – 562-796 CE
• Hazar Empire – 602-1016 CE
• Uygur Empire – 740-1335 CE
• Karahan Empire – 932-1212CE
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Gazneli Empire – 962-1183 CE
• Seljuk Empire – 1040-1157 CE
• Harzemshah Empire – 1077-1231 CE
• Golden Horde – 1224-1501 CE
• Timur Khan Empire – 1369-1501 CE
• Babur Empire – 1526-1858 CE
• Ottoman Empire – 1299-1922 CE
Skinner

What is Turkey
• The Turkish people represent an amalgam of peoples
that range from northern, central and western Asia,
northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe.
• The term Turkic represents a broad ethno-linguistic
group of people including existing societies such as
the:
Turkish, Azerbaijani, Chuvashes, Kazakhs, Tatars, Kyrgyzs
Turkmens, Uyghurs, Uzbeks, Bashkirs, Qashqai, Gagau
zs, Yakuts, Crimean, Karaites, Krymchaks, Karakalpaks,
karachavs, Nogais
• Includes civilizations that no longer exist:
Gokturks, Kumans, Kipchaks, Avars, Bulgars,
Turghes, Khazars, Seljuk Turks, Ottoman Turks,
Mamluks, Timurids, Khotons, possibly the Huns
Skinner

History of Turkey
• Göktürks-From 552 to 745, Göktürk
leadership bound together the nomadic
Turkic tribes into an empire, which
eventually collapsed due to a series of
dynastic conflicts.
• Göktürks is said to mean "Celestial Turks".
This is consistent with "the cult of heavenly
ordained rule“
• According to Chinese sources, the meaning of
the word Tūjué was "combat helmet”.
Skinner

History of Turkey
• The nation of Turkey represents a people
who have Turkic lineage, but have also
undergone cultural assimilation.
• The Oghuz Turks are those who moved west
from the Chinese region. (9th c)
• The term 'Oghuz' was gradually supplanted
among the Turks themselves by Türkmen,
'Turcoman', from the mid tenth century on, a
process which was completed by the
beginning of the thirteenth century. (tribe)
Skinner

History of Turkey
• In general they were a herding society which
possessed certain military advantages that
sedentary societies did not have, particularly
mobility.
• Alliances by marriage and kinship, and systems
of "social distance" based on family
relationships were the connective tissues of their
society.
• In Oghuz traditions, tribal bonds were the
strength and thus society was the result of the
growth of individual families. But such a society
also grew by alliances and the expansion of
different groups, normally through marriages.
Skinner

History of Turkey
• The militarism that the Oghuz empires were
very well known for was rooted in their
centuries-long nomadic lifestyle. Militarism
ensured survival.
• The terms "Turkmen" and "Turcoman" were
often used as a designation for the Muslim-
Oghuz Turks (Azerbaijanis, Turks of Turkey,
Central Asian Turks) in periods of history.
• Today (in Turkey) the word "Turkmen" refers
to nomadic Turkish tribes (all Muslims), some of
whom still continue this lifestyle.
• Property of OutoftheBoxIntl and Beth Hill-
Skinner

History of Turkey
• The House of Seljuk was a branch of the Oğuz Turks

• In the 11th century, the Turkic people living in the Seljuk
Empire started migrating from their ancestral homelands
towards the eastern regions of Anatolia, which eventually
became a new homeland of Oğuz Turkic tribes.

• The victory of the Seljuks gave rise to the Seljuk
Sultanate of Rum, a separate branch of the larger Seljuk
Empire and to some Turkish principalities, mostly
situated towards the Eastern Anatolia which were vassals
of or at war with Seljuk Sultanate of Rum.

Skinner

History of Turkey
• The Seljuk Turkish Empire is founded by an
Oghuz Turkish bey (chieftain) named Seljuk.
Originally from the steppe country around
the Caspian Sea, the Seljuks are the ancestors
of the Western Turks, present-day
inhabitants of Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
• First to convert to Sunni Islam (end of 10c)
• 1038: The Seljuk Turks become established in
Persia.
• 1042: The rise of the Seljuk Turks begins.
• 1073: Seljuk Turks conquer Ankara.
Skinner

History of Turkey
• The Battle of Manzikert in 1071 where the Seljuks and
Byzantines met played a key role in undermining the
Byzantine Empire.
• A chain of events led to the collapse of the Empire.
• The stage for expansion of the Seljuks territory was set.

Skinner

History of Turkey
• The impact of the victory was much more than a simple morale
boost for the armies. It was one of the most glorious moments in
Seljuk history, a moment of pride that would last for
generations. Not surprisingly, the support for the Seljuq Sultan
grew immediately.
• The burden grew heavier on the Byzantine Empire as more and
more soldiers joined the enemy army and gradually it could not
contain the masses of warriors thrown against the capital city of
Constantinople. Manzikert was naturally cast as not merely a
geo-political struggle but also religious, and it was the source of
much propaganda for the cause of the Seljuq Turks who were
not only boosted by the victory but were also boosted by the
new aura of their leader.
• Sources from both sides exaggerate the details of the battle.
Skinner

What is Turkey
• At present, there are six independent Turkic
countries: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan,Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and
TURKEY.
• There are also several Turkic national
subdivisions in the Russian Federation-
Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Chuvashia,
Khakassia, Tuva, Yakutia, the Altai Republic,
Kabardino-Balkara, and Karachayevo-
Cherkessiya.

• Each of these subdivisions has its own flag,
parliament, laws, and official state language.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Hobbesian reality / Kantian peace
• Why talk to Iran?
• The actions of peace can only begin
with talking
• Turkey is a state that is committed to
dialogue

Skinner

Turkey and its Region
• Stability is the objective:
–Black Sea
–Southern Caucus
–Wider Middle East
–Fragility of EU economy
–(export dependant)
–Iran
–Arab Spring Property of OutoftheBoxIntl and Beth Hill-
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Secularism
– Separation of church and state
– Current politics evidence a power struggle between
nationalists, Islamists, secularists
• Thriving economy
– Edogan is credited with the economic progress
– Progressives want to retain liberal freedoms
• Economic security is a force within Turkey
• Religion is a counter point for those who fear
that secularism is eclipsing the Islamic history
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Still struggles with human rights issues.
• Economic problems
• Problems with diverse populations
• Nationalistic movements threaten democratic
character.
• Air Force base in SE Turkey has been used for
years.
• Was the central base during the Iraq War.
• Remains important to U.S. today.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey

Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Today Turkey is a nation-state contending with internal
struggles.
• Before Edogan and his party won in 2002, Turkey had
spent years under weak coalition government. The
military was the powerful actor and political parties had
been servile.
• Turkey had also undergone several economic crises,
leading to a weak presence on the world stage.
• Erdogan brought a vision with clear steps to counter the
army’s political power.
• Through the consolidation of a strong single-party
government, Erdogan transformed Turkey into an
economic powerhouse.
• It’s presence on the world stage is now apparent and
growing. It is a major force in the Middle East, the
Caucasus, the Balkans,ofNorth Africa, and beyond.
Property OutoftheBoxIntl and Beth Hill-
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• By the 1970s, Turkey had become the most
Westernized of Muslim countries.
• Threats arose to Ataturk’s vision as rapid
urbanization was changing Turkey's cities, and a
free market economy had increased inequality.
• Voters were frustrated at what they saw as
corruption within the political system.
• Many Muslims began to question Ataturk's belief
that Islam should be removed from politics.
• Pro-Islamic politicians promised to correct the
corruption and inequality.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey
• Today with an economy growing at 6% + (2010/11)
some fear overheating.
• Others fear that Erdogan’s renewed power will lead
him to anti-democratic excesses.
• There is also a new source of uncertainty,
emerging from the Arab Spring countries.
• For the last several years, Turks have pursued the
foreign policy goal of “zero problems with
neighbors.”
• In recent months they have been forced to realize
that they cannot, after all, be friends with everyone
in the neighborhood.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey-Linguistics
• Khan-Turkish for Emperor
• Sultan-Arabic for Ruler
• Shah-Persian for King
• Mehmet-Holy Roman Emperor
• Universal ruler: Suleyman (after Solomon)
Under Suleyman
the Empire reached its apex.

Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• It replaced the Byzantine Empire as the major power in
the Eastern Mediterranean.
• The Ottoman Empire reached its height under
Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520-66), when it
expanded to cover the Balkans and Hungary, and
reached the gates of Vienna.
• The Empire began to decline after being defeated at
the Battle of Lepanto (1571) and losing almost its
entire navy.
• It declined further during the next centuries, and was
effectively finished off by the First World War and the
Balkan Wars.
• One legacy of the Islamic Ottoman Empire is the robust
secularism of modern Turkey.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire-at its peak the
following modern states
• Turkey • Jordan
• Egypt • Lebanon
• Greece • Syria
• Bulgaria • Parts of Arabia
• Romania • Much of the coastal
• Macedonia strip of North Africa
• Hungary
• Palestine Property of OutoftheBoxIntl and Beth Hill-
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• Constantinople was the heart of the
Byzantine Empire.
• Became the capital of the Ottoman
Empire when it was conquered in
1453 by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet
II.
• Necessary for the success of the
Ottomans due to location.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• Mehmet slaughtered many of the
population and forced the rest into
exile, later repopulating the city by
importing people from elsewhere in
Ottoman territory.
• Mehmet renamed Constantinople
Istanbul – the 'city of Islam' - and set
about rebuilding it, both physically
and politically, as his capital.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• Istanbul became not only a political and
military capital, but because of its
position at the junction of Europe, Africa,
and Asia, one of the great trade centres
of the world.
• Another important city was Bursa, which
was a centre of the silk trade.
• Some of the later Ottoman conquests
were clearly intended to give them
control of trade routes.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• There were many reasons why the Ottoman
Empire was so successful:
• Highly centralized
• Power was always transferred to a single
person, and not split between rival princes
– The Ottoman Empire was successfully ruled by a
single family for 7 centuries.
– The Sultan was the key to its success.
– The role of the Janisseries was also indicative of its
sustained power.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• State-run education system Religion was incorporated in the state
structure, and the Sultan was regarded as "the protector of Islam".
• State-run judicial system Ruthless in dealing with local leaders
promotion to positions of power largely depended on merit created
alliances across political and racial groups united by Islamic ideology
• Ottoman warrior code with ideal of increasing territory through jihad
• United by organizational and administrative structures
• Highly pragmatic, taking the best ideas from other cultures and making
them their own
• Encouraged loyalty from other faith groups , private power and wealth
were controlled
• Very strong military strong slave-based army (loyalty)
• Expert in developing gunpowder as a military tool
• Military ethos pervaded whole administration
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• The economic strength of the Empire also owed
much to Mehmet's policy of increasing the
number of traders and artisans in the Empire.
• He first encouraged merchants to move to
Istanbul. ( some were forced)
• He also encouraged Jewish traders from Europe
to migrate to Istanbul and set up in business
there. Later rulers continued these policies.

Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• In diplomatic circles it was often referred to as the
Sublime Porte or simply as the Porte, from the
French translation of the Ottoman name Bâb-i-âlî
"high gate", due to the greeting ceremony the
sultan held for foreign ambassadors at the Palace
Gate.
• This has also been interpreted as referring to the
Empire's position as gateway between Europe and
Asia.
• In its day, the Ottoman Empire was also commonly
referred to as the Turkish Empire or Turkey, though
it should not be confused with the modern nation-
state of that name.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• In the 17th century, the Ottomans were weakened
both internally and externally by costly wars,
especially against Persia, the Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth, Russia and Austria-Hungary. There
was a long succession of sultans who were not as
good as the generation of Mehmed II, Selim I and
Suleyman I.
• The scientific advantage the Ottomans had over the
other European countries also diminished. While
the Ottomans were stagnating in a stalemate with
their European and Asian neighbor countries, the
European development went into overdrive.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• Eventually, after a defeat at the Battle of Vienna, in 1683,
it was clear the Ottoman Empire was no longer the sole
superpower in Europe.
• In 1699, for the first time in its history the Ottomans
acknowledged that the Austrian empire could sign a
treaty with the Ottomans on equal terms, and actually
lost a large territory which had been in Ottoman
possession for two centuries.
• Through a series of reforms, the empire continued to be
one of the major political powers of Europe.
• The banking system was reformed and the guilds were
replaced with modern factories.
• The Janissaries were disbanded, and a modern
conscripted army was formed.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• Ottoman Empire was Sunni in expression, but
certainly not in a strict sense.
• Leaders could be given rule based on
meritocracy, not blood line.
• The Ottomans were conquerors, not religious
ideologists.
• Safavid Empire was Shi’a and believed that
leaders must have direct lineage to the Prophet
Mohammad.
• Their sense of being Muslim was a basis of
consolidation within the ranks.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• Externally, the empire ceased going into conflicts
alone, and started entering alliances like the other
European countries.
• There was a series of alliances with countries such
as France, Holland, Britain and Russia. A prime
example of this was the Crimean war in which the
English, French, Ottomans and others united
against Russia.
• By the end of the 19th century the empire was
weakened to a great extent.
• The advent of nationalism and the yearning for
democracy was making the population restless.
Skinner

Ottoman Empire
• The Ottoman Empire was an imperial power
that existed from 1299 to 1923 (634 years), one
of the largest empires to rule the borders of the
Mediterranean Sea.
• At the height of its power, it included Anatolia,
the Middle East, part of North Africa, and south-
eastern Europe. It was established by a tribe of
Oghuz Turks in western Anatolia and ruled by
the Osmanlı dynasty.

Skinner

Success of the Ottoman’s
• Europe was struggling with internal issues
• The Reformation created a fracture that
prevented consolidation on many fronts
• The Ottomans were a plunder machine and
shared generously with those who were
successful
• The Christian message was aligned with the
righteousness of suffering and authorities
elevated the holiness of poverty
• Only those at the “top” were well bestowed
with the largess of wealth
Skinner

Success of the Ottoman’s
• The preoccupation of the European powers with
dynastic and religious rivalries permitted the
Ottoman Empire to remain strong
• The Islamic sense of bonds between kinsman
maintained a relatively stable system
• Ability to fully utilize ports through naval
superiority at key trading locations
• Bureaucratic administration (paperwork/docs)
• Dragomans who maintained ties to differing
peoples
Skinner

Decline/Fall of Ottoman Empire
• The success of the Ottoman sultans:
– Leadership that inspired
– Economic power
– Ongoing conquests/pillages that fueled the needs of the
soldiers…the family systems….the hierarchy
– The administrative state…power tightly controlled
– The contiguous use and strength of the Islamic
religion/law code
– People like to be ruled by a “winner”
– The poll tax (jizya) on Jews and Christians
• Weaker leaders/sultans led to a multitude of ills
within the Empire.
Skinner

• Jews and Christians were referred to as dhimma.
they were allowed to hold certain senior-level
positions, such as financial advisers or physicians.
• Always required to hold only those positions
subordinate to their Muslim counterparts. They
were even sometimes subjected to restrictions in
dress, or were harassed by certain officials and
neighbors.
• There were locations where social segregation
between Muslims and non-Muslims was the norm.
• Stereotypes categorizing Christians and Jews were
often utilized in proliferating the gap between
them. Property of OutoftheBoxIntl and Beth Hill-
Skinner

• The European states had countered many of the
strengths of the Ottoman’s therefore removing
the advantage
– Population began rising in 16th c
– Agricultural investment was increasing
– Technological improvements
– Productivity in textiles and extractive industries
– French Revolution and seeds of “democracy”

Skinner

• In the latter stages of the Empire, many of the
administrative structures had become fossilized
• The sultans were lacking in vision, leadership, and
the ability to contend with the changing world
around them
• Emergence from multi-ethnic empires in 18thc to
nation states in 19c
• Nation states use the state as an instrument of
national unity, in economic, social and cultural life
(not the ruler)
• Successive wars and regional battles had weakened
the Empire
• Failure to adapt to new revenues
• World War I and the defeat of the Central Powers
Skinner

• World War I exposed the frozen conflicts as well as
the untenable power of the Ottomans
• The strength of the Ottoman military had declined in
the absence of revenues
• Janissaries were not as cohesive or as loyal. Had
become a weakened institution
• Religious conservatism became a fall back position
(fight for Allah and Islam)
• New fighting techniques (30yr war) and strategies
using highly mobile field artillary
• The end of the Great War resulted in the carving
up of the once expansive Ottoman Empire
Skinner

Kurds and Kurdistan
• The condition of the Kurds continues to pose a
threat to ongoing stability in Turkey and Iraq.
• At the present, there is a relative stalemate
• A strong central government in Iraq is in the
interests of Turkey.
• Territorial integrity is of great concern to Turkey.
• A divided Iraq, with shared oil revenues, is not
what Turkey will support.
• Turkey would not like to contend with another
economic force-the Kurds.
Skinner

Kurds and Kurdistan
• The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is the leading
front of the effort to establish a nation state for
the Kurdish people (formed in 1978)
• The US and the EU have stated that the PKK is a
terrorist organization
• Is involved with drug, arms, and human
trafficking
• Has strong ties to Cyprus
• Has it’s own satellite TV channel
Skinner

Kurds and Kurdistan
• Death toll attributed to the Kurdish / Turkish
conflict:

 32,000 PKK members have been killed and
14,000 have been captured alive
 6,482 Turkish soldiers and security officials
have been killed.
 5,560 civilians have been killed.

Skinner

Kurds and Kurdistan

Skinner

Kurdistan-what the region fears

Skinner

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
• Born in 1881 in Salonika (now Thessaloniki) in
what was then the Ottoman Empire.

Skinner

• Under Ataturk, Friday was no longer a public
holiday.
• Western legal codes were adopted to replace
the form of Sharia law that had been used.
• Islamic scholars were forced under state control.
• Arabic script was replaced by the Latin
alphabet.
• European dress was required for both men and
women.
Skinner


Skinner

• A product of his time and responded to the
social milieu
• Well-educated (secular institutions)
• Envied the ascendency of Europe
• Feared the power of Europe to diminish the
Ottoman Empire
• Wanted to see secularism as a means of
modernizing the people (before the end of the
Empire)
• Wanted to see secularism as a condition of the
new state (after the fall of the Empire)
Skinner

Seeds of Secularism
• The Tanzimât period was a time of internal attempts at
reforming the Empire.
• Began in 1839 and ended with the First Constitutional
Era in 1876].
• The Tanzimât reform era was characterized by various
attempts to modernize the Ottoman Empire.
• The reforms encouraged Ottomanism among the diverse
ethnic groups of the Empire, attempting to bring
religious and nationalist movements under a shared
identity.
• The reforms also attempted to integrate non-Muslims
and non-Turks more thoroughly into Ottoman society by
enhancing their civil liberties and granting them equality
throughout the Empire.OutoftheBoxIntl and Beth Hill-
Property of
Skinner

• From his diary dated July 6, 1918, “…raising the
people to the level of the elite instead of
reducing the elite to the level of people”.

Skinner

• Europe was a growing industrial power
• European powers controlled parts of Africa,
Asia, and parts of every continent
• Ataturk recognized that the Ottomans must
modernize, but there was a resistance within
the structures
• One area that was addressed (and rebuked)
was the role of religion
• His support of secularism was a result of years
of thoughtful consideration
Skinner

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk-quotes
• “Moses was a man who strove for the
emancipation of the Jews, who had been
groaning under the lashes of the Egyptians”
• “Jesus was a person who comprehended the
absolute destitution of his time and turned the
reaction against the pains of his age into a
religion of love”
• *Islam had not+ “arisen as a result of the
national evolution of the Arabs, but as a
consequence of the emergence of Muhammad”
[a figure of leadership and charisma]
Skinner

• As a member of the military elite he felt a keen
sense of pride in his Turkish heritage
• But he also witnessed the decline of his nation
as the power structures languished in outdated
practices
• By the 19th century, the Ottomans had fallen
well behind the rest of Europe in science,
technology, and industry.
• Nationalism was also threatening the Empire as
ethnic groups sought to have state identity
(which brought political legitimacy)
Skinner

• The Balkan War of 1913 illustrated the
importance of the region
• Ottoman Empire lost territory on the European
front
• Russia lost territorial strategic positioning in the
warm seas
• Set the stage for WWI
• End of WWI
– left the region divided in to Greece, Serbia,
Bulgaria, and Albania
– Kingdom of Serbia was renamed Yugoslavia
Skinner

Balkan region-ethnicities in 1911

Skinner

World War I
• The triple alliance (Italy, Germany, and the
Austro-Hungarian Empire) set the stage for the
end of the Ottoman Empire
• Russia and France countered the triple bloc in
1894
• Britain remained isolated and benefitted from
the wars between its competitors
• Yet at the spark of the war, Russia came to the
defense of the Serbs and thus the system of
alliances laid the ground for the Great War
Skinner

• Ataturk saw the dangers in not crafting a
nation-state that was a modern construction
• He also recognized the history of ethnic and
religious wars
• Ataturk was a reformist for years.
• It was opportunity at the end of WWI that
allowed him to actualize ideas that had been
forming in his mind for years
• Ataturk emerged as a leader in the midst of the
carving of the Empire. (spoils of war go to the
winner)
Skinner

• Creation of the modern state of Turkey was a
brilliant assessment of the way forward
• The War of Independence May 19, 1919 – July 24,
1923
• Republic of Turkey was declared in October 1923
• Rather than allow yet another war ensue, the
strategy of a modern nation-state was a solution
that would set the stage for Turkey in the 20th
century
• The alternative was a nationalist based conflict
that could have destroyed any/all resources and
result in a further deterioration of the remnants of
the Ottoman Empire (Think Iraq)
Skinner

• Ataturk was a reformist for years.
• It was opportunity at the end of WWI that
allowed him to actualize ideas that had been
forming in his mind for years
• Ataturk had an excitement as the new leader of
Turkey and determined to craft a state that
would be able to contend with the modern
world
• “Gentleman, sovereignty has never been given
to any nation by scholarly disputation. It is
always taken by force and with coercion.”
• Read “The Turkish Ordeal” –Halide Edib
Skinner

• He likewise crushed the Islamic ulema who
sought power in the new state
• Many saw the state as an extension of the
caliphate.
• Ataturk saw different, “Turkey is a state
governed by a republican form of government”.
• He abolished the caliphate, the sultanate,
Ottoman Ministry of Religious Endowments,
closed the sharia courts, shut down mosque
colleges, madrassas, and established a public
education system.
Skinner

• Ataturk’s actions drove a wedge between the
progressives and the traditionalists.
• The Sunni Muslim Kurds were most offended.
• The Shiites in E. Anatolia were suspicious of a
“secular” government led by mostly Sunni
persons
• Nationalism was not familiar, but Ataturk
pushed forward and overwhelmed all
challenges.
• It was established that, “…accomodation
between the ideas of constitutional democracy
and individual liberty and religious devotion.”
Skinner

Atatürk-The making of a nation-state
Sweeping reforms
• Dervish houses permanently closed
• Ridiculed the fez and reportedly called it the
“headwear of a barbarous, backward people”.
• Denounced the long black outer shawl and veil
women had been wearing for several years as a
religiously conservative symbol.
• Stated of the new state that there was a need to
make use of all its human potential, including
women, “two kinds of human beings, called
men and women…in order to progress, the
nation needed the involvement of both.”
Skinner

• On December 26, 1925, the international 24-
hour clock was established in Turkey.
• On the same day, the Western calendar , the
calendar of advanced nations replaced the
Islamic calendar.
• Arabic script was retired and Roman script was
adopted.
• His focus was on literacy.
• Encouraged industry as an economic base.

Skinner

• Ataturk and his allies would not be stopped by “religious
backwardness”
• The new state must emphasize science, modernization, and
national identity.
• An assassination attempt on Ataturk’s life (1926) resulted in
government tribunals called the Independence Tribunals to
ensure that pockets of dissent were dealt with quickly.

Skinner

Cyprus
• The EU accession of Cyprus has complicated the
image that Turkey likes to cultivate.
• Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to
prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has
since acted as patron state to the "Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey
recognizes.
• A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as
the Kurdistan People's Congress or Kongra-Gel
(KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's
attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives.
Skinner

Turkish-Cypriot Conflict

Skinner

• Between September 1570 and August 1571 it
was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, starting
three centuries of Turkish rule over Cyprus.
• 1878 Congress of Berlin resulted in the Cyprus
Convention, a secret agreement granting Great
Britain administrative control of the island.
• Yet, it was to remain an Ottoman possession.
• WWI, Britain reneged & in 1925 it was declared
to be a colony of the crown.
• Riots ensued on the island.
Skinner

• The island developed a “split” people
• Those who preferred the
Ottoman/Turkic/Islamic way of life and religion
• Those who preferred the Greco/Christian way of
life.
• Treaties have held and been broken.
• Threat of civil war have periodically arisen.
• Turkey invaded in 1974.
• Attempts to create a United Cyprus have failed.
Skinner

Turkey and the EU
• The binary interpretation of Turkey’s foreign
policy as well as domestic decisions evidence
that unwillingness of the U.S. and the EU to
relinquish particular powers. (not referring to
necessary powers)
• The relationship with the EU is colored by the
past and the prospect of the present.

Skinner

Human Rights Issues
A matter of interpretation?
Based on which law code?
• Impunity of military elite
• More independent judiciary
• Freedom of political parties (Islamists and
separatist outlawed)
• Civil law fully adhered to: women,
children, torture, journalists, and ethnic
groups
Skinner

Turkey and EU
• 2002-2007
– 230-660billion GDP
– 36-125 billion exports
– 14%-1% budget deficit
• EU accession process gave investors confidence
• Germany and France were against Turkey as a
member of the EU
• Turkey membership was stalled
• Cyprus became a signature reason
Skinner

Human Rights Issues-Orhan Pamuk
• In 2005, Orhan Pamuk was put on trial in Turkey
after he made a statement regarding the
Armenian Genocide and mass killing of Kurds in
the Ottoman Empire. His intention, according to
the author himself, had been to highlight issues
relating to freedom of speech (or lack thereof)
in the country of his birth.
• The ensuing controversy featured the burning of
Pamuk's books at rallies.

Skinner

Human Rights Issues
• In the interview, Pamuk stated,

"Thirty thousand Kurds have
been killed here, and a
million Armenians. And
almost nobody dares to
mention that. So I do.”
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey-present
• Turkey represents the movement from a
unipolar world to the inevitable global shift
toward multipolarity.
• Turkey’s rising independence and more muscular
stance in global affairs is the outcome of a range of
strategies.
• The AKP (Justice and Development Party, led by
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has managed the economic
rise of Turkey
• Erdoğan inherited a debt of $23.5 billion to the IMF,
which has been reduced to $6.1 billion in 2010.
• He decided not to sign a new deal. Turkey's debt to
the IMF will be completely paid off in 2013
Skinner

Region Problems Radiate
• Throughout the course of human history
international borders have been realigned by
war, strife, and political jostling.
• This often results in the separation of similar
ethnic groups, tribes, and families.
• There have also been times however when
ethnic groups are incapable of living together
and redraw national borders because of strife
between the sides.
• This is the case regarding the nations of Georgia
and South Ossetia.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey-present
• 2007 saw a rise in tensions between secularists and
Islamists.
• On 9/27/2007 Ergogan publically stated that,
“antisemitism is a crime against humanity.”
• He followed up with, “Islamophobia is also a crime
again humanity.”
• The head scarf has become a political symbol.
• Edorgan does not want to encourage this.
• Military sees itself as protector of the state and
Ataturk’s vision
• Secularism is to be a form of governance that
remains equidistant from all expressions of
religion.
Skinner

Turkey and the Arab Spring
• Has played critical role through out the
revolutionary movements nominally referred to
as the Arab Spring.
• Poised to capitalize on the changes in the Arab
States from an economic standpoint.
• Has balanced Iran’s position.
• Serves as a model for other Islamic states in
crafting a more advanced progressive form of
government.
Skinner

Turkey and Syria
• Turkey has long served as the sole “go-
between” for Syria and Israel
• Shuttle diplomacy for indirect negotiations had
been the contribution that Turkey played
• Both countries have/had trust with Turkey
• Borders, territories, security, water,
normalization….remain the core of the conflict
• Turkey’s fractured relationship with Israel
following the flotilla incident in 2010 has
negatively impacted the ability of Turkey to
serve a constructive role in the region
Skinner

Turkey and Israel
May 18, 2012 at 2:23 PM
• NICOSIA, Cyprus, May 18 (UPI) -- The dispute
between Turkey and Israel over major natural gas
fields under the eastern Mediterranean escalated
sharply after Ankara scrambled F-16s to intercept
an Israeli aircraft over Turkish-controlled northern
Cyprus, where Ankara has started exploratory
drilling.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-
Resources/2012/05/18/Turkey-warns-Israel-over-
airspace-violations/UPI-78551337365388/
Skinner

Turkey and Israel
• Turkey and Israel have maintained a strong
alliance for decades.
• Not just the governments but the people.
• Shared in common were a democratic form of
government, partnerships with the west, restraint
for religious influence at the state level, and a
mutual respect for one another in the midst of
the Middle East tensions.
• The military to military relationship was solid
with the sharing of intel and resources.
• For the U.S. this relationship has been a base of
Middle East stability during the era when Turkey
and Israel (Egypt) were allied.
Skinner

Turkey and Israel
• Israel’s December 2008 offensive in Gaza
strained relations as Turkey took an
increasingly public stance on the crackdown.
(Turkey along with many other nation states).
• Erdogan outburst at Davos 2009
• The response of the U.S.-Jewish lobby to
back Armenian efforts to have the 1915
incidents recognized as "genocide" as a result
of the public confrontation between the
Turkish prime minister and Israeli president
in Davos raised tensions.
Skinner

Turkey and Israel
• May 2010 saw a further deterioration of
relations between these two key states when
Israeli soldiers boarded a vessel owned by
the Turkish nongovernmental organization.
• The Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH)
was part of a six-ship flotilla sailing to Gaza
with the declared intention of breaking
Israel’s naval blockade, and killed eight
Turkish citizens and a Turkish-American.
• Turkey immediately recalled its ambassador
in Tel Aviv.
Skinner

Turkey and Israel
• The flotilla incident in 2010 fractured
relations between the two democracies
in the Middle East.
• The Erdogan –Netanyahu relationship is
tense, which is an undesirable state of
affairs.
• The region has long been steadied by the
alliance between the two democratic
states in the midst of autocratic regimes.
Skinner

Turkey and Israel
• On September 2, 2011 the release of the UN secretary
general’s panel of inquiry report on the Gaza flotilla
crisis last year contributed to the breakdown in
Turkey/Israel relations citing excessive use of force.)
• Turkey (Erdogan) stated that it wanted a public apology
from Israel (Netanyahu). Netanyahu refused.
• Their relationship is representative of a tick-up in the
rhetoric.
• But there are breaks in the tension. (10/2011
earthquake) First time to talk in 10 months.
• Few weeks earlier Peres & Netanyahu condolences to
Erdogan after the death of his mother.

Skinner

Turkey and Israel
• Events in the Middle East change…and often.
• Turkey has been at the forefront of the Syrian
crisis.
• Relations with Israel could also change
quickly given the circumstance that
necessitates these two influential nation
states to cooperate and combine resources.
• The Middle East region remains attentive to
the tensions between Turkey and Israel.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey -today
• There is an uneven view of Turkey today.
• The EU, Israel, Armenians, Kurds, along
with groups in the US are wary of the rise
of Turkey.
• Some say that there is an Islamist agenda
to rival the powers in the Middle East.
• It would be naïve to gush over Turkey as
some have done.
• But its future, given the ability to deal
with domestic issues is promising.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey-today
• However, Turkey’s strength is fully weighted on
its macro-economic strategy.
• While working at the moment, its weaknesses
threaten Turkey’s rise.
• The domestic issues and financial insecurities, if
not addressed and remedied may challenge the
growing power of Turkey
• As Erdoğan contends with the growing internal
struggles, his maneuvers to balance the
international with the domestic could fail.
Skinner

The Rise of Turkey-challenges
• 1996 saw the rise of the Turkish Islamic party.
• The Turkish Islamic party gained enough popularity
to win over 20 percent of the national vote and
came to power in a coalition government.
• In response, secular officials clamped down on
Islam's most visible symbols, among them the head
scarf.
• While Turkey has a future that continues on the
highway of rising power, its past may prove to be
an impediment.
• Unless Turkey can summon the confidence to face
it past, the fractures, and the nationalist
movements that challenge its power.
Skinner

Recommended reading
Turkey: A Short History. Roderic H.
Davison
Portrait of a Turkish Family. Irfan
Orga
The Emergence of Modern Turkey.
Bernard Lewis
Crescent and Star: Turkey Between
Two Worlds. Stephen Kinzer
Skinner

Recommended reading
From the Sultan to Ataturk: Turkey:
The Peace Conferences of 1919-23
and Their Aftermath (Makers of
the Modern World). Andrew
Mango

The Ottoman Empire and the World
Around It (Library of Ottoman
Studies). Suraiya Faroqhi
Skinner

The Rise Of Turkey

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

Was ist angesagt? (20)

Andere mochten auch

Andere mochten auch (20)

Ähnlich wie The Rise Of Turkey

Ähnlich wie The Rise Of Turkey (20)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

The Rise Of Turkey