Andrew Mango -- The Turks today
=================================

The last 80 years in Turkey have been turbulent, and Mango gives
both a good overview and sufficient details of that history since
modernization and secularization was first imposed by Atatürk.

The sections of the book of most interest to me were the those on
the most recent (2000 and after): efforts at modernization, in
particular attempts to import women's rights, efforts to reform a
few social institutions, and attempts to give Turkey a progressive
and effective political system that brings educational and economic
progress.

Here is a summary of some of what I've learned from "Turks Today":

Economically, Turkey has had booms and crashes, though these
economic ups and downs may not seem so extreme after what we've
recently experienced in the U.S.  Manufacturing, in Turkey, is
growing, in part because Turks demand of their leaders: "Build us a
factory", which is another way of saying that creating jobs and a
viable way to earn a living are important.  And, the tourist
industry is another source of income.  But, Turkey has high
population growth, so just maintaining the current standard of
living need very high economic growth.

Turkey has made huge gains in education and literacy, going from
very low literacy rates in the early in the 1900's to very high
literacy rates today, although there are areas (e.g.  slums around
Istanbul) where the low literacy rates are still alarming.  The
desire for religious schools by a large proportion of the
population is still a conflict with the secularization project. 
However, higher education is still available only to the
privileged.

Ankara is the center of government activity, in part
because Turkey's government is highly centralized.  But, because
government revenues are erratic, many ambitious projects are
started but fewer are completed.

Istanbul is the center of culture and cosmopolitan society. 
However, although Istanbul has wealth and is cosmopolitan, it also
has huge slums where poverty is extreme, the standard of living is
low, life is grim, and social services are poor or non-existent.

Eastern Turkey is developing, but is still a 3rd world country. 
Increases in population make it difficult to raise living
standards.  The Kurds have been a huge problem, one with which
Turkey is learning to deal, although incorporating the Kurds into
society is still difficult.

So, where has Mango left us with?  A summary of the last 50 years:
a population explosion, modernization, industrialization, a general
move from rural areas to towns and cities, an incredible increase
in mass communication, and lots more education.  Turkey has become
more like southern Europe and less like the Middle East.  Turkey
has its ethnic and religious conflicts (Kurds, Islamists, ...), but
is trying to work through them.  Turkey is a civilized country with
pockets of backwardness.

For a picture of what Turkey is like and where it came from, as
well as an analysis of important issues for the people of Turkey, I
can't speak highly enough of Mango's book.  My only (minor)
disappointment is that there is no updated edition that fills in the
last three or four years.

04/21/2010

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