Smokers’ Corner: Cold Turkey
I’ve twice been to Turkey in the last three years. My second trip there coincided with the 2011 election. Recently I have come across various conservative and pro-establishment personalities, politicians and media men in Pakistan praising the Turkish model of democracy and economics.
For example, Imran Khan just returned from Turkey and sounded extremely impressed by that country’s people and politics.
The reason why you might now be hearing more and more Pakistanis singing praises of Turkey is due to the fact that a determined political party with an Islamist background has been winning elections and forming governments there ever since 2001.
It is a good sign that to some of our conservatives the Turkish social and political model now seems more charming to emulate than the puritanical authoritarianism of certain oil-rich Arab states. However, the fact is they may really be over-romanticising their Turkish experience. Either they haven’t understood the dynamics of Turkey’s political and social milieus, or they are only seeing what they want to see: i.e. a conservative Islamist party at the helm in what was supposed to be a secular country.
Only recently I heard a TV commentator suggest that Turkish prime minister, Recep Erdogan’s AK Party, has been winning elections due to its popularity among the rural and semi-rural Turks. This is a rather simplistic understanding of what is actually a complex consensus that the AK Party has struck with almost all sections of Turkish society.
Erdogan’s multiple electoral successes have more to do with his emphasis on economic growth, reform and his all-out efforts to help Turkey become part of the European Union (EU) than on the usual stern moralistic and anti-West stances that most Islamist parties are stuck with in most Muslim countries. During my trip to Istanbul when the campaigning for the 2011 elections was in full swing, not even once did I hear Erdogan (whose wife adorns a hijab) mention the word Islam.
According to a few Turkish academics I managed to talk to in Istanbul, Erdogan’s electoral success is squarely based on the way he seamlessly struck a sympathetic chord with urban Turkey’s significant liberal constituency. Erdogan’s growth-friendly economic maneuvers, his commitment to take Turkey into the EU and his headstrong and constitutional ways to tame a once untouchable military have bagged him the support of a large number of liberals as well who don’t see him as a threat to Turkey’s staunch secular traditions.
It is naive to suggest that Turkey has all of a sudden turned Islamist. It’s a fascinating society where, during my 2011 trip, I did see more Turks visiting the mosques, but then at the same time, I found more Turks spending time in Istanbul’s lively bars than I did in 2009! But Erdogan’s economic wonders alone are not what keeps getting his party both the conservative as well as liberal vote.
And nor are Turks in any mood to become a European Saudi Arabia, a more democratic Iran, or like Pakistan where religion has become an anarchic, free-for-all tool to mindlessly wag in matters of politics, war, business, et al. What our new Turk romantics among conservative Pakistanis don’t get is the fact that instead of trying to Islamise Turkey, the AK Party has simply (and democratically) been turning the Turkish state from being an instrument of power based on what is called ‘Assertive Secularism’ into a plurality-friendly actor run by an ‘all-encompassing’ brand of secularism.
I also want to share certain other facts that many Pakistanis selectively miss. I want to do this just to let them know that the Turkish model they have been praising and dreaming of emulating can never be integrated into their largely quasi-theocratic, pro-military and socially myopic idea of Pakistan. According to two extensive studies on secular states, one by Columbia University’s Alferd Stepan and the other by Cambridge University’s Jonathan Fox, Turkey is by far the most assertive secular state: even more than France!
Through an aggressive state-run institution called the Diyanat, the Turkish state continues to keep religion within the mosque and away from the public sphere. All religious education is the duty of the state-run institutions in which Quranic courses are not allowed to be taught to students under the age of 15. Private Islamic education is banned.
Wearing of the headscarf and the burqa in educational institutions, government offices and the national assembly too is banned, so much so that whenever Erdogan’s wife, a headscarf wearer, visits a government institution, she takes off her headscarf as a sign of respect for Turkey’s Kamalian secular tradition. Turkey has just two Islamic holidays, Eidul Azha and Eidul Ramazan.
There are no prayer rooms in offices. If you want to pray, kindly go to a mosque.
The Turkish constitution clearly states: ‘…We note that religions should stay in the individuals’ consciences and temples without interfering in worldly affairs.’ In 2008, the Turkish Constitutional Court struck down the passing of an amendment by the ruling party in which it sought relaxing the headscarf ban in educational institutions. Erdogan almost lost his constitutional legitimacy.
Observers suggest that the rise of a more ‘Islam-friendly’ new urban middle-class in Turkey has also been a force behind AK Party’s success. But unlike in Pakistan, where a similar middle-class has been largely reactionary and anti-democracy, conservative sections of the Turkish middle-class are only interested in keeping the AK Party in power so that this class can get its slice of the economic growth witnessed in Turkey in the past decade.
More than a battle of ideas (secularism vs theocracy, Islamic vs un-Islamic), in present-day Turkey, politics is more about a democratically fought economic tussle between the old Ankara elite and the new one rising from Anatolia. A tussle, mind you, which actually benefits the social and economic aspirations of most, if not all Turks.
Their practising of Islam, unlike ours, is not exhibitionist.
Whatever theocracy, it just settles on one fact that is an honest and dedicated leadership. That has been missing in Pakistan since its conception. One selects a system that's is suited to it people. Here it's total confusion and no respite. Just corruption and it's protection.
'Theocracy' has always been the synonym for a bleak and narrow, if not a fierce and blood -stained tyranny. said Wliiam Archer (1856-1924). So true, we can tell from our experience with theocracy. Mustafa Kamal understood it, eliminated it to create a seculay, progressive Turkey.
No blogg is complete without Imran K's name appearing in form or other. NFP , you are monumentally partisan journalist, as usual sparing your favourites. Zardari & Altaf.
Hi, Assalamualeykum my brothers. I have lived in Turkey more than 10 years and I could easily say that all the comments above have missed the point.
If you want to understand Turkey, do not satisfy with papers. Read further from non-british sources.
Best.
………the stark difference between the poltical behaviour of the Turkish and Pakistani urban class; Turkish one is liberal, as expected, and our one is conservative, as not expected! The reason being that our urban class is not local, but predominantly emigre from the times of partition, and is deeply apprehensive of the local polticos who happen to be rural and are already liberal! Unless our urban class loses the artificial support from the undemocratic quarters, and allows the rural democrats to complete their tenures, there is no other solution – but continued cold war between the urban and rural Pakistan!
I don't understand why all of you try to compare Turkey with Pakistan. In Turkey all are Turkish with one faith and mostly educated with very high literacy rate. Turkey was never colonized and always remained a free country since centuries. In Pakistan people are divided as Punjabis, Pathans, Sindhis and Baluchis with differing ethos, different mindsets and in various sects. Most people are illiterates with less than average IQ level so very religious. Look at the present mess in Pakistan and can any of the existing political parties (I vehemently doubt) bring Pakistan out of this mess if it comes into power.
PERFECT AND INSPIRED BY PATRIOTISM.
Turkey is multi-ethnic but it is not a multi-sect society, therefore, one less line of division compared to Pakistan, which has a pronounced shia sunni divide. It lies at the doorsteps of Europe so picks on many of their values such as tolerance and genuine democracy. Contrast this with Pakistan which has its longest border with two theocratic states from where it tries to draw a jihadi culture in one case and defiance to the west in the other. Most importantly, whereas Turkish army was the instrument of secularism and vehemently enforced it, on the other hand Pakistan army (over the last 35 years) has strengthened a religious culture both within itself and at the expense of the nation.
Well done NFP!
Other great intellectual article
Turkey has been under military rule for many years too. The key to the success of present government and their popularity is that they have put the right persons in right ministries and almost all of them are honest and have delivered in their respective fields. A country which lacks natural resources is coming up so fast just because of good governance and honest and loyal people working in the government. This is the reason people are with them and they are ready to take on all internal or external threats. The military who was always at the helm of affairs in Turkey has taken a back seat now and is subservient to the government. We in Pakistan can follow the same model but first of all we need to find the HONEST LEADERS to rule us, which seems almost next to impossible at the moment.
NFP should move to a country where journalists are safe. His voice of sanity and reason puts him at risk in Pakistan.
Turkey is a client state of USA. It is disgraceful.
Another observation that the author didn't touch on – Turkey understands that it's economy is driven by the West and does what it can to insure that relationship is sound – securlar or not Pakistan tends to spite the countries it relies on.
Turkey is fast becoming an increasingly confident an assertive nation. Pakistan is heading in the opposite direction but at twice the speed. However, Pakistanis are a resilient nation and I wish to recall an observation made by an American diplomat that the crisis that Pakistan has faced since inception would have broken the back of any other nation.
Pak is resilient solely due to its people whom the elite muzzle in innumerable ways. Secularism in the Turkey mold is unfortunately not possible in Pakistan, as the powers that be, just will not have it.
As the situation is , may be it will take another few years! It is heading that way.
Nicely ignored the fact that the headscarf ban has been in place in turkey long before erdogan appeared in the political scene. He tried to lift the ban but the constitutional courts annulled the attempt. Erdogan is clever and will try to make another attempt after clearing up the constitutional hiccups as he did for the army.
Another nice article NFP! You very excellently depict the Turkey political system in a very few words. However, you missed one point. The foundations which current Turkey is standing is based on the secular ideology which Turkey followed for decades. These religious conservative claim the Turkey success on their religious ideology. It is similar to claim that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam, however none of the religious parties voted for it. Now these very parties claim to take the ownership of Pakistan.
Everything NFP writes must be taken with a pinch of salt. Just because his father was a beneficiary of Bhutto's political magnanimity (see his article "Bhutto and I" although he shows it as a favour to Bhutto, which is ridiculous), anything non-PPP is worthless to him. It appears that he is trying to repeat something on the lines of that earlier benefit. In our poor country this is not something wrong though (unfortunately). But the point is that if one belongs to a particular political camp he should be brave enough to openly declare so rather than sheepishly pursuing his agenda in a clandestine manner to avoid others' rightful criticism that might come one's way. Unfortunately, NFP's selfish agenda is becoming too evident in his writings. What a waste of talent.
I think one of the first important aspects one need to keep in mind before comparing Pakistan with Turkey is that , their liberal populace can't be compared to the liberal people in Pakistan , the liberal people in Pakistan can be compared to the conservative Turks, Turkey secular liberal are on another level , they can be compared to Europeans. The Geo Location is an important factor, we are between IRAN and Afghanistan , one a theocratic state and one a stone age. India is our shadow enemy , so their secular values had never impressed us .
Wonderful article! I had the same experience on my trip to Turkey last year.
this man Nadeem is on duty to abuse the ideology of Pakistan,Islam,Sunnah and each and every thing related to Islam.He just want appreciation about his columns and dont have courage to face the criticism.
i don't know whether u r Muslim or not… but i suggest u go through Islam… (not typical Mullah's Islam), u 'll find it most modern, most liberal religion and constitution.
Religion only in the mosques. What a wonderful idea. Please bring it on
NFP what you want to make Pakistan… plz next time write a blog on that….give us solution as well bcoz its easy to criticize and dont see in turkey which you want to see.
NFP,
You keep impressing with your penetrating insight and intellect. How true!!!
While Turkey has been able to amalgamate Islamic thought with modern ideas,Pakistan has a problem with the multitude of sub sects of your religion.Your problems among the Suni,Shias,Ahmedias and the pitiful case of the Hazaras, does not let your country to move economically forward.A real pity when you put religion in the forefront instead of national progress.Add to it your weak leadership.In Turkey it was a very strong leadership that even confronted the army and got what it wanted.