The Myth and the Reality about Turkish Model- Democratization in the Muslim World.

This paper investigates the puzzle that why Turkey is the most democratic country of the Muslim world while its democracy is the weakest among the Western democracies. In the first section, we elaborate Turkey’s unique position as the freest country in the Muslim world, but the least powerful democracy in OECD by using Freedom House Country Ratings. Second section examines possible variables to explain this uniqueness. Particular attention is given to Kemalist reforms to establish a secular state structure. In the third section we argue that although multiethnicty and the Cold War environment also undermined democratization in Turkey, these factors weakens democratization in general, both in Islamic and non-Islamic societies. Therefore, ongoing struggle between Turkish military and antisecular forces is the key variable to explain the level of Turkish democracy. However, secular state is necessary but not sufficient condition for full democratization as the disappointing level of democratic structure in the Newly Independent States of Central Asia show. Therefore, we conclude that Islam per se is not an obstacle to establish a democratic society as long as Islamic rule does not dominate state’s governance structure. In other words, it is not the Islamic society but Islamic state that prevents the establishment and improvement of democracy. Constitution of a secular state, however, itself is not enough. It is merely the first step for the long journey of democratization in the Muslim world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]