Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T01:21:39.306Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Marching to the beat of a late drummer: Turkey's experience of neoliberal industrialization since 1980

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2015

Erol Taymaz
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus, Kalkanli, Güzelyurt, Mersin 10, [email protected]
Ebru Voyvoda
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey, [email protected]

Abstract

The paper discusses the main characteristics of Turkey's experience of neoliberal industrialization since 1980. We suggest that Turkey has been a “successful follower” in the sense that it has achieved structural transformation in manufacturing output and exports, while its mode of articulation with the global economy has remained intact. To follow our premise, we first provide a comparative overview of the dynamics of growth, productivity, employment and trade in the post-1980 period. We focus on the manufacturing industry because it has evolved as the leading sector in the restructuring of the economy away from domestic demand-oriented import substitution towards export orientation and integration with global production networks. To analyze the direction of structural change in a comparative perspective, we also offer a synopsis of divergent patterns of development in Turkey and Korea. Our brief comparison emphasizes that, while Korea has rapidly changed the structure of its industry and mode of articulation with the world economy with the sense of direction provided by a pro-active state and a far-reaching industrial policy, Turkey has remained a follower ever trying to reach its moving target.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © New Perspectives on Turkey 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Akyüz, Yılmaz and Boratav, Korkut. “The Making of the Turkish Financial Crisis.” World Development 31, no. 9 (2003): 15491566.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boratav, Korkut. “Türkiye’de Popülizm: 1963–1976.” Yapıt, no. 1 (1983): 718.Google Scholar
Boratav, Korkut, Erinç, Yeldan, and Köse, Ahmet Haşim. Globalization, distribution and social policy: Turkey: 1980–1998, Working Paper Series, No.20: CEPA and The New School for Social Research, 2000.Google Scholar
Demir, Fırat. “A Failure Stoiy: Politics and Financial Liberalization in Turkey, Revisiting the Revolving Door Hypothesis.” World Development 32, no. 5 (2004): 851869.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Köse, Ahmet Haşim and Yeldan, Erinç.“Dışa Açılma Sürecinde Türkiye Ekonomisinin Dinamikleri: 1980¬1997.” Toplum ve Bilim, no. 77 (1998): 4567.Google Scholar
Pamuk, Şevket. “Economic Change in Twentieth-Century Turkey: Is the Class More than Half Full?” In The Cambridge History of Turkey: Volume 4 - Turkey in the Modern World, edited by Kasaba, Reşat, 266300. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Suh, Joong Hae. “Development Strategy and Evolution of Korea’s Innovation System.” In Models for National Technology and Innovation Capacity Development in Turkey, edited by Suh, Joong Hae, 2761. Seoul: Korea Development Institute, 2009.Google Scholar
Şenses, Fikret. “Structural Adjustment Policies and Employment in Turkey.” New Perspectives on Turkey, no. 14 (1996): 6593.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Şenses, Fikret and Erol, Taymaz. “Unutulan Bir Toplumsal Amaç: Sanayileşme. Ne Oluyor? Ne Olmalı?” İn iktisadi Kalkınma Kriz ve İstikrar, edited by Köse, Ahmet H., Şenses, Fikret and Yeldan, Erinç.İstanbul: iletişim, 2003.Google Scholar
Taymaz, Erol. “Development Strategy and Evolution of Turkey’s Innovation System.” In Models for National Technology and Innovation Capacity Development in Turkey, edited by Suh, Joong Hae, 63104. Seoul: Korea Development Institute, 2009.Google Scholar
Taymaz, ErolEbru, Voyvoda and Yılmaz, Kamil. Global Links and Local Bonds: The Role of Ownership and Size in Productivity Growth, Working Paper, No. 1020. İstanbul: TÜSİAD-Koç University Economic Research Forum, 2010.Google Scholar
Taymaz, ErolEbru, Voyvoda and Yılmaz, Kamil. Türkiye İmalat Sanayiinde Yapısal Dönüşüm ve Teknolojik Değişme Dinamikleri, ERC Working Paper, No 08/04. Ankara: Middle East Technical University, 2008.Google Scholar
Taymaz, Erol and Kamil, Yılmaz. Integration with the Global Economy: The Case of Turkish Automobile and Consumer Electronics Industries, Working Paper No.37. Washington, DC: Commission on Growth and Development, 2008.Google Scholar
Voyvoda, Ebru. Dışa Açılma Sürecinde İstihdam, Ücretler ve Emek Üretkenliği: Türkiye imalat Sanayii, 1970–2001, [mimeograph]. 2008.Google Scholar
Voyvoda, Ebru and Yeldan, Erinç.“Patterns of Productivity Growth and the Wage Cycle in Turkish Manufacturing.” International Review of Applied Economics, no. 15 (2001): 375396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yeldan, Erinç.Küreselleşme Sürecinde Türkiye Ekonomisi: Bölüşüm, Birikim ve Büyüme, İstanbul: iletişim, 2001.Google Scholar
Yentürk, Nurhan and Onaran, özlem. “Düşük Ücretler Yatırımları Teşvik Ediyor mu? Türk İmalat Sanayiinde Bölüşüm ve Birikim İlişkisinin Analizi.” İn Körlerin Yürüyüşü: Türkiye Ekonomisi ve 1990 Sonrası Krizler, edited by Yentürk, Nurhan, 159176. İstanbul: Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları, 2005.Google Scholar
Yükseler, Zafer and Türkan, Ercan. Türkiye’nin Üretim ve Dış Ticaret Yapısında Dönüşüm: Küresel Yönelimler ve Yansımalar. İstanbul: TÜSİAD, 2008.Google Scholar
Öniş, Ziya and Aysan, A. Faruk. “Neoliberal Globalization, the Nation-state and Financial Crises in the Semi-periphery: A Comparative Analysis.” Third World Quarterly 21, no. 1 (2000): 119139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Öniş, Ziya and Şenses, Fikret. “Global Dynamics, Domestic Coalitions and a Reactive State: Major Policy Shifts in the Post-War Turkish Economic Development.” METU Studies in Development 34, no. 2 (2007): 217250.Google Scholar