The Complexities of Neoliberalism and Political Islam
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Labour and trade unionism in Turkey: The complexities of neoliberalism and political Islam by Emre Esensoy B.A., University of British Columbia, 2009 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of Political Science Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences © Emre Esensoy 2011 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Fall 2011 All rights reserved. However, in accordance with the Copyright Act of Canada, this work may be reproduced, without authorization, under the conditions for “Fair Dealing.” Therefore, limited reproduction of this work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review and news reporting is likely to be in accordance with the law, particularly if cited appropriately. Approval Name: Emre Esensoy Degree: Master of Arts (Political Science) Title of Thesis: Labour and trade unionism in Turkey: The complexities of neoliberalism and political Islam Examining Committee: Chair: Patrick Smith Professor, Department of Political Science Marjorie Griffin Cohen Senior Supervisor Professor, Department of Political Science Stephen McBride Supervisor Professor, Department of Political Science Yildiz Atasoy Supervisor Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology John Calvert External Examiner Adjunct Professor, Department of Health Sciences Date Defended/Approved: September 13, 2011 ii Declaration of Partial Copyright Licence The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. 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Simon Fraser University Library Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC, Canada Last update: Spring 2010 Abstract The military coup of 1980 in Turkey was followed by more than two decades of neoliberal transition, which included the introduction and rising influence of Islamic capital, as well as the systematic weakening of trade unions through both economic and political processes. In this light, what is the relationship between the strengthening of Islamic capital and political Islam and the position of labour and trade unionism in neoliberal Turkey? Islam attained a complex role as regards its influence on labour movements, with The Association of Independent Industrialists and Businessmen (MÜSIAD, which organizes on the basis of Islamic rhetoric) on the one hand, and the religiously oriented Confederation of Turkish Real Trade Unions (Hak-Is) on the other. This research hypothesizes that the new bourgeoisie with Islamic roots has been an integral part of the neoliberal process that changed the position of labour as an influential social actor by perpetuating neoliberal policies and implementing informal employer-employee relations based on social ties and moral values. It makes use of a combination of quantitative and qualitative sources, including statistics regarding union activity, government legislation, various union and MUSIAD publications, news items, face-to-face interviews, and existing literature. Through an exploration of the rise of Islamic capital under a neoliberal setting from the perspective of labour, this research would help explain neoliberalism’s impact on the social structure of a developing country. Keywords: Labour; Islamic capital; political Islam; neoliberalism; Turkey iii Dedication Dedicated to my father, Ömer Esensoy, whose love, generosity, and idealism will always be my main source of inspiration. iv Acknowledgements I am forever indebted to my Senior Supervisor, Dr. Marjorie Griffin Cohen, for her continuous support, compassion, and wisdom. I would also like to thank the members of my Examining Committee, Dr. Stephen McBride, Dr. Yıldız Atasoy, and Dr. John Calvert for their invaluable feedback, constructive criticism, and patience. I would like to especially thank Dr. Yıldırım Koç at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, who generously shared with me his vast knowledge of the Turkish labour movement, as well as his extensive archive of sources on the subject. I am eternally grateful for the immeasurable support and encouragement I have received from my parents, Ömer and Zerrin, and my brother, Ali Vahit, throughout my academic journey. Finally, I would like to thank the graduate student body at the Department of Political Science, whose friendship made my SFU experience that much more enjoyable. v Table of Contents Approval.............................................................................................................................ii Abstract.............................................................................................................................iii Dedication .........................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgements............................................................................................................v Table of Contents..............................................................................................................vi List of Tables................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures ...................................................................................................................ix List of Acronyms ................................................................................................................x Chapter 1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 Review of key literature..................................................................................................... 4 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 2. Historical Background to Turkey’s Trade Unionism and Political Islam ........................................................................................................ 13 The Labour Movement.................................................................................................... 13 Political Islam .................................................................................................................. 16 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter 3. Turkey’s Neoliberal Transition.............................................................. 20 General overview of the economic and political environment......................................... 20 Islam’s