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Dear
Ibtissem,
The introduction of your article suggests that it will address the issue of
a country geographically torn between eastern heritage and western
ambitions. However, the discussion progressively slipped into social
injustice.
Having lived in Turkey for quite a long time, I have seen the inequality gap
increase with the liberalization of the economy and consecu tive financial
crisis.
However, I am not sure if it is an Istanbul phenomena. The majority of
developing countries with an economic liberalization program are having
similar fate and facing similar challenges. Your article even added a list
of major developed countries to the list. The economic indicators still
reflect the good and bad including social unjustice.
Check the IMF or World Bank reports and have a look at the Turkey satistics.
Statistics about basic amenities, unemployment, minimum wage, etc. are all
there to confirm your observation and are also public knowledge.
Probably, the question is whether liberal economies have to live with their
inherited social injustice or not? As I see it, there is no economy in the
arabic world that has the vivacity nor the potential to become a major
industrial country like Turkey.
Tunisia and Morocco are too small, Algeria and Saudia Arabia are too depend
on oil and gas, and Egypt … let’s forget about social justice. Turkey has
already joined the club of the top 20 largest economies in the world.
Several of their industrial and retailing brands are competitive outside
their borders and are well regarded in Europe and the US.
We may be unhappy about the fact that Turks chose to dump the arabic
alphabet or seize to associate themselves with the middle-east and Arabs.
However, we should admit that the Turks have taken painfull straight forward
solutions to their problems, sometimes with no compromise.
Most importantly, they managed to build the seeds of a very competitive
economy with local skills and little natural resources. We may want to
publicize our relative success or hide our failures by hitting on other
countries.
However, a little bit of positive “media justice” towards the achievements
of Turkey does not hurt. Looking forward your next article.
Maher Lahmar, Ph.D.
Réaction à l’article :
La tectonique de l’économique
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