The Turkish model

Abstract

In June 1992 the former Soviet republics of Central Asia received a visit from Mme Catherine Lalumiere, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, a body dedicated to the defence and propagation of European concepts of human rights. Having seen how things stood there and looking hopefully into the future, Mme Lalumiere declared that Turkey provided a valid model of development for many a newly-independent country in Asia. A Turkish political economist, Professor Aydin Yalkin, quoting Mme Lalumiere's statements, noted that the concept of the Turkish model had arisen outside Turkey. Inside Turkey, said Professor Yalqin, this had caused surprise mixed with pleasure, given that 'the reform movement which for nearly two hundred years had struggled to bring westernisation and modernisation cannot yet be considered to have produced a definitive result' and that there were even doubts whether 'in the face of the