DOCSLIB.ORG

Impact of Terrorism on Migration Patterns in Turkey

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Impact of Terrorism on Migration Patterns in Turkey Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Scholars Compass Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2006 Impact of Terrorism on Migration Patterns in Turkey Yilmaz Simsek Virginia Commonwealth University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons © The Author Downloaded from https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/652 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Impact of Terrorism on Migration Patterns in Turkey A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. by Yilmaz Simsek B. A., Polis Akademisi, Ankara, 1995 M.S., University of North Texas, Denton, 2003 Director: Judyth Twigg, Ph.D. Professor L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia July, 2006 DEDICATION TO My son, Mehmet Bahadir Simsek, who has changed my understanding of life… ii Acknowledgments First, I would like to thank to the Turkish Nation and the Turkish National Police (TNP) for their support I received for this study. This dissertation would not have been possible without the financial support of my nation and the data support of the TNP. My thanks are extended to Muharrem Durmaz for his support of this study. It is also a pleasure to thank to and recognize my colleagues at Ankara Police Department and my brothers. They tirelessly worked hard to get the datasets of this study together. Next, I am grateful to Dr. Judyth Twigg, the chair of my dissertation committee, for her invaluable motivation and supervision in directing this study. She has provided a personal benchmark for the type of instructor that I would like to be one day. My grateful appreciations are extended to my other committee members for their time and assistance. Without the instructions and support of Dr. David P. Geary, Dr. Yasar A. Ozcan, Dr. Blue E. Wooldridge, and Dr. William W. Newmann, this dissertation effort would not have been possible. They always took time to help me with a study problem when I knocked on their doors. In addition, I would like to thank to all my instructors in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at the Virginia Commonwealth University. They provided professional support during my education. Furthermore, I appreciate to my wife Hamiyet, my parents, and all my family members for their motivation, support, and tolerance. They passionately encouraged me to continue my education. I am also thankful to all my iii exceptional friends, brothers, and sisters. I also extent my thanks and gratitude to the members of TNP, especially to the members of 1995 Ankara Police Academy graduates, and to the instructors at Ankara Police Academy. Finally and foremost, I am indebted to God for giving this opportunity to me. iv Table of Contents Page Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………….…...ii List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………...viii List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………....x Abstract……….………………………………………………………………………….xi Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………….............1 Problem Statement…………………………………………………………......3 Purpose of the Study……………………………………………………………6 Significance of the Study……………………………………………………….7 Definition of the Terms………………………………………………………….8 Terrorism…………………………………………………………………8 Migration………………………………………………………………..12 Theoretical Background…………………………………………….…………14 Migration in General: the Push-Pull Model…….……………………15 Migration in Specific: Motivational and Economical Perspectives..17 Theory of Motivation: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs……………….18 Neo-classical Model …………………………………………………...23 Research Questions…………………………………………………………..25 Research Design………………………………………………………………27 Overview of Following Chapters……………………………………………..28 v 2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION…………………………………………….30 Overview of Politics in Northern Iraq…………………………………..........30 Turkey: Country & Region…………………………………………………….32 Conflict, Migration, and Kurdish Identity…………………………………….34 Kurdish Identity in General Elections………………………………………..36 Terrorism in the Region……………………………………………………….39 State of Emergency Rule (SER) …………………………………………….43 Conflict, Pressure, & Relocation Movements……………………………….44 Village Guards………………………………………………………………….47 Economy and Conflict in the Region………………………………..............49 3 LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………….....55 Migration in Broad Perspective……………………………………....………58 Push and Pull Model in Literature……………………………………………60 Conflict, Violence & Migration………………………………………………..63 Selected Studies on Migration………………………………………………..66 Migration in Turkey…………………………………………………………….93 4 METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………...............103 Variables………………………………………………………………………105 Dependent variable…………………………………………………..106 Independent Variables……………………………………………….108 Control Variables …………………………………………………….109 Hypotheses………………………………………………………………...…111 vi Statistical technique………………………………………………………….119 Reliability and Validity………………………………………………………..122 Limitations…………………………………………………………………….123 5 FINDINGS…………………………………………………………………….126 Overview of Findings…………………………………………………..........126 Hypotheses Testing…………………………………………………............129 Differences in Net-Migration between Provinces…………………132 For all periods (92-01) ………………………………………133 For Period I (92-95) ………………………………………….133 For Period II (96-99) …………………………………………134 For Period III (00-01) ………………………………………..135 Net-Migration by Terrorist Incidents, Deaths, and GDP…….……135 For all periods (92-01)…………………….…………………142 For Period I (92-95) ………………………………………….151 For Period II (96-99) …………………………………………157 For Period III (00-01) ……………………………………..…164 Terrorist Incidents and Economic Variables………………………171 For all periods (92-01) ………………………………………174 For Period I (92-95) ………………………………………….175 For Period II (96-99) …………………………………………176 For Period III (00-01)…………………………………………177 Discussion of the Findings………………………………………….............180 vii 6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION…………………………………..……….194 Summary of Findings and Conclusion……………………………………..195 Policy Recommendations of the Study Results…………………………..202 Suggestions for the Future Research………………………………….......205 References……………………………………………………………...…………….209 Appendices……………………………………………………………………………220 Vita……………………………………………………………………………………..270 viii List of Tables Page Table 1: 1991 General Election Vote Shares for Selected Parties……………….37 Table 2: 1995 General Election Vote Shares for Selected Parties……………….38 Table 3: 1999 General Election Vote Shares for Selected Parties……………….38 Table 4: Selected literature related with migration and refugee movement.........56 Table 5: Data periods………………………………………………………………..105 Table 6: Descriptive Statistics table for all provinces in each period…………...130 Table 7: Descriptive Statistics table for Region A provinces in each period…..131 Table 8: Significance of variables for 1992-2001…………………………….......143 Table 9: SPSS results of 1st model for 1992-2001………………………………..144 Table 10: SPSS results of 2nd model for 1992-2001……………………………..146 Table 11: SPSS results of 3rd model for 1992-2001……………………………...147 Table 12: SPSS results of 4th model for 1992-2001……………………………...148 Table 13: Significance of variables for 1992-1995………………………………..151 Table 14: SPSS results of 1st model for 1992-1995………………………………152 Table 15: SPSS results of 2nd model for 1992-1995……………………………..153 Table 16: SPSS results of 3rd model for 1992-1995……………………………...154 Table 17: SPSS results of 4th model for 1992-1995……………………………...155 Table 18: Significance of variables for 1996-1996………………………………..158 Table 19: SPSS results of 1st model for 1996-1999………………………………159 Table 20: SPSS results of 2nd model for 1996-1999……………………….…….160 ix Table 21: SPSS results of 3rd model for 1996-1999……………………………...161 Table 22: SPSS results of 4th model for 1996-1999……………………………...162 Table 23: Significance of variables for 2000-2001………………………………..165 Table 24: SPSS results of 1st model for 2000-2001………………………………166 Table 25: SPSS results of 2nd model for 2000-2001……………………………..167 Table 26: SPSS results of 3rd model for 2000-2001……………………………...168 Table 27: SPSS results of 4th model for 2000-2001……………………………...169 Table 28: Significance of variables for H5…………………………………….......174 Table 29: Outcomes of the hypotheses……………………………………….......198 x List of Figures Page Figure 1: Variables of migration in groups……………………………………….....57 Figure 2: Visual representation of relationship………...………………………….104 Figure 3: Differences in terrorism incident rate……………………………………179 Figure 4: Comparison of the means of net-migration rate between regions…..181 Figure 5: Comparison of the means of incident rate between regions…...........183 Figure 6: Comparison of the means of death rate between regions……………186 Figure 7: Comparison of the means of GDP per person between regions…….187 Figure 8: Comparison of the means of unemployment between regions………188 Figure 9: Comparison of the means of population density between regions.....191 xi Abstract IMPACT OF TERRORISM ON MIGRATION PATTERNS IN TURKEY By Yilmaz Simsek, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: Dr. Judyth Twigg, Professor, Political Science, L. Douglas Wilder School
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Turkey 2020 Website.Indd
    TURKEY Quick Facts Population: 82,017,514 (July 2020 est.) Area: 783,562 sq km Ethnic Groups: Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%, other minorities 7-12% (2016 est.) Government Type: Presidential republic GDP (official exchange rate): $851.5 billion (2017 est.) Source: CIA World FactBook (Last Updated August 2020) INTRODUCTION While Turkey remains a nominally secular republic, political Islam has been ascendant in the country since the military coup of 1980. The consolidation of power by Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party in the past 15 years, however, has led to the gradual weakening of secularism and the promotion of political Islam in Turkish public life. Political Islam has become increasingly visible at the grassroots level, as pious Turks enjoy growing representation in the political process. In parallel, the mounting authoritarian tendencies of the Turkish government have stifled political opposition. The transformation of Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system of government in a 2017 referendum has ensured, for the time being, that Erdogan’s political agenda faces no serious domestic challenges. That said, following the fallout with the Gülen Movement with whose support Erdoğan came to power, he has been forced into an uneasy alliance with domestic ultra-nationalists. This has not diminished Erdoğan’s Islamism, however, but rather injected it with greater doses of Turkish nationalism. Turkey’s foreign policy has been transformed accordingly. Following the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, Turkey actively intervened to secure the victory of political Islam across the Middle East and North Africa, lending support especially to the Muslim Brotherhood and affiliated organizations.
    [Show full text]
  • International Police Cooperation on Counter-‐Terrorism (Ct) in Turkey
    INTERNATIONAL POLICE COOPERATION ON COUNTER-TERRORISM (CT) IN TURKEY Ufuk G. YAVUZ Turkish National Police Director of International Relations/ Intelligence Department Necati YILDIRIM Turkish National Police Director of International Relations/ CT Department Presentation Plan • Counter Terrorism (CT) Units in Turkish National Police (TNP) •Terrorism in Turkey •Cooperation Activities carried out by TNP •Cooperation Activities with Central Asian Countries Counter Terrorism Units in Turkish National Police (TNP) Intelligence Counter-Terrorism Department of TNP Department of TNP (IDB) • Carries out CT • Collects information in investigations and entire country operations along with prosecutors •Conducts analysis & produces intelligence Special Operations • Supports Counter- Terrorism Department Department • They are deployed in CT operations as special raid teams. Terrorism in Turkey - I Al Qaeda is threat for Turkey by its terrorist attacks. In 2003 Istanbul bombings, (61) people died. Between 1993 and 2003, Turkish Hizbollah conducted many assasinations in Turkey. Turkish Hizbollah has (19) associations in Europe for propaganda, recruitment and financing. Terrorism in Turkey - II DHKP/C still is also threat for Turkey, they seek to conduct assasinations of the statesmen. DHKP/C is active in Europe with its associations. PKK is still conducting terrorist attacks in Turkey. PKK carries on recruitment and financing activities through its associations abroad (esp. in Europe) General Assessment of Cooperation CICA INTERPOL ECO SECI NATO UNITED NATIONS OTHER UNODC ECO-DCCU INCB COUNCIL OF PFI CCPCJ OSCE EUROPEAN EUROPE UNION JICA CND POMPIDOU EUROPOL AG SUDOST HONLEA GROUP EMCDDA BUDAPEST SUBCOM PROCESS EU STABILIZATION PACT General Assessment of Cooperation • UN Security Council, Counter Terrorism Committee in 2010. • Meetings with CT Coordinators of UN Security Council Members in Istanbul.
    [Show full text]
  • Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations
    Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations Updated November 9, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R41368 SUMMARY R41368 Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations November 9, 2020 U.S.-Turkey tensions have raised questions about the future of bilateral relations and have led to congressional action against Turkey, including informal holds on major new Jim Zanotti arms sales (such as upgrades to F-16 aircraft) and efforts to impose sanctions. Specialist in Middle Nevertheless, both countries’ officials emphasize the importance of continued U.S.- Eastern Affairs Turkey cooperation and Turkey’s membership in NATO. Observers voice concerns about the largely authoritarian rule of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Clayton Thomas Turkey’s polarized electorate could affect Erdogan’s future leadership. His biggest Analyst in Middle Eastern challenge may be structural weaknesses in Turkey’s economy—including a sharp Affairs decline in Turkey’s currency—that have worsened since the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic began. The following are key factors in the U.S.-Turkey relationship. Turkey’s strategic orientation and U.S./NATO basing. Traditionally, Turkey has relied closely on the United States and NATO for defense cooperation, European countries for trade and investment, and Russia and Iran for energy imports. A number of complicated situations in Turkey’s surrounding region—including those involving Syria, Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh (a region disputed by Armenia and Azerbaijan), and Eastern Mediterranean energy exploration—affect its relationships with the United States and other key actors, as Turkey seeks a more independent role. President Erdogan’s concerns about maintaining his parliamentary coalition with Turkish nationalists may partly explain his actions in some of the situations mentioned above.
    [Show full text]
  • Seroprevalence of Bluetongue Disease in the Cattle in Siirt Province, Turkey
    IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science (IOSR-JAVS) e-ISSN: 2319-2380, p-ISSN: 2319-2372. Volume 11, Issue 12 Ver. I (December 2018), PP 39-41 www.iosrjournals.org Seroprevalence of Bluetongue Disease in the Cattle in Siirt Province, Turkey Ozgur Yasar Celik1*, Tekin Sahin1 1Department of Internal Medicine, Siirt University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,Siirt, Turkey *Corresponding author: Ozgur Yasar Celik Abstract:Bluetongue is a viral disease of domestic and wild ruminants transmitted via the biting flies. The agent is in the Orbivirus genus of the Reoviridae family and has 24 known serotypes. The disease is most common during the summer months and is more severe during humid and rainy times. The aim of this study is to determine the presence of bluetongue infection serologically in cattle in Siirt province, Turkey, and to get information about its prevalence in the region. The material of the study consisted of a total of 279 cattle reared in different localities of Siirt. For laboratory analysis, 5 ml blood samples were taken from jugular vein of cattle and put into non-anticoagulant tubes. The samples were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes and serum was transferred into Eppendorf tubes and stored at -20 ºC until enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis was performed. Serum samples were analyzed by an ELISA device (Multiskan GO, Thermo Scientific) using the commercial test kit (Bluetongue Virus VP7 Ab Test Kit, IDEXX). The results were evaluated as positive and negative. Of the 279 specimens analyzed, 150 (53.76%) were found to be seropositive and 129 (46.24%) were seronegative.
    [Show full text]
  • Country Advice Turkey Turkey – TUR38112 – Newroz 2005 –
    Country Advice Turkey Turkey – TUR38112 – Newroz 2005 – Taksim Demonstration 2008 – Kurds 10 February 2011 1. Is there any country information about whether the Turkish police disrupted Newroz celebrations on 21 March 2005 in Zeytinburnu, Kalicesme in Istanbul, and detained about 20 people at the police station? Zeytinburnu is a suburb in Istanbul. Kalicesme is the name of a square and a train station in the vicinity of the suburb of Zeytinburnu.1 A translation of the Savas Karsitlari website contains a mention that eight people were arrested at Kalicesme Square during Newroz celebrations on 21 March 2005.2 Newroz Day incidents were reported also in other areas. In Mersin, southern Turkey, it was reported that police arrested six juveniles, and a prosecutor charged them with attempting to burn the national flag.3 4 The US Department of State noted several incidents of police intervening in Newroz day celebrations: HRF reported clashes between police and celebrants in Siirt Province, during which police opened fire, injuring a child. Police in Edirne raided a house and detained a number of local DEHAP officials and students in connection with Nevruz celebrations. During a separate incident in Siirt, police beat juveniles who stoned the police station after police prevented Nevruz celebrations, according to HRF.5 Despite these incidents, a European Union (EU) report stated that March 2005‟s Newroz celebrations were “authorised and peaceful in most provinces”.6 In 2007, however, it was reported that police conducted raids on a Newroz Day rally in Kazlicesme, Istanbul. Police allegedly tried to stop people from attending from other parts of Istanbul, threatening bus drivers to not carry demonstrators, and interrupted speakers by 1 „Kazliçeşme‟ (undated), Google Maps website, http://maps.google.com.au/maps?rls=EGLC,EGLC:2010- 17,EGLC:en&q=mersin+map+turkey&um=1&ie=UTF- 8&hq=&hnear=Icel/Mersin+Province,+Turkey&gl=au&ei=ugZSTfXWKoHYuAP3gszSCQ&sa=X&oi=geocode _result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBwQ8gEwAA - Accessed 9 February 2011 – Attachment 1 2 ÖZMEN, K.
    [Show full text]
  • Representation of ISIL and PKK Terror Attacks in Turkish Newspapers1
    Akdeniz İletişim Dergisi Terrorism And Newspapers: Analysis Of Recent Terrorist Attacks In Turkish Newspapers 323 Araştırma Makalesi - Gönderim Tarihi: 15 Şubat 2019 - Kabul Tarihi: 6 Haziran 2019 Terrorism and Newspapers: Representation of ISIL and PKK Terror Attacks in Turkish Newspapers1 İbrahim EFE2 Abstract This study deals with the news coverage of some of the recent terror attacks in Turkey. It uses a part of the data set compiled for a project on impacts of journalism on countering violent extremism in Turkey (henceforth the CVE Project). The data is analysed using an eclectic version of critical discourse analysis. The analysis starts with an explanation of the data and the context of the terrorist attacks in question. Then, the argumentation strategies used by newspapers are examined through pragma-dialectical argumentation approach. Metaphors are also analysed through the lenses of conceptual metaphor thesis. The findings show that arguments against terrorist attacks taking place in Turkey are highly marked by Turkey’s experience with the PKK terror and political stances. Metaphors used in news articles also reveal ideological and political treatment of the issue at stake. All in all, the study points out that there is a close relationship between the ways terror attacks are handled in Turkish newspapers and their ideological political positions. The implications of this finding for the relationship between media and terrorism is discussed at the end of the study. Keywords: Argumentation, Conceptual metaphors, Journalism, Turkish newspapers, Terrorism, Terrorist attacks Atıf: Efe, İ. (2019). “Terrorism and Newspapers: Representation of ISIL and PKK Terror Attacks in Turkish Newspapers”. Akdeniz Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi, (AKİL) Haziran (31), s.
    [Show full text]
  • Cellular and Molecular Biology
    Cellular and Molecular Biology E-ISSN : 1165-158X / P-ISSN : 0145-5680 www.cellmolbiol.org Original Research Antioxidant capacity and phylogenetic analysis of twenty native grape cultivars in Siirt province, Turkey Mehmet Fidan1*, Mehmet Emre Erez1, Behcet İnal2, Süleyman Mesut Pinar3, Serdar Altintaş4 1 Biology Department, Science and Art Faculty, Siirt University, Siirt, Turkey 2 Agricultural Biotechnology Department, Agriculture Faculty, Siirt University, Siirt, Turkey 3 Van School of Healthy, Van Yüzüncü Yil University, Van, Turkey 4 Horticulture Department, Agriculture Faculty, Siirt University, Siirt, Turkey Correspondence to: [email protected] Received November 17, 2017; Accepted May 10, 2018; Published May 30, 2018 Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14715/cmb/2018.64.7.3 Copyright: © 2018 by the C.M.B. Association. All rights reserved. Abstract: The quality of grape cultivars not only depends on the grape cultivar but also is influenced by the molecular concepts and agro-climatic factors. For this purpose, four different grape cultivars were collected from five different locations in Siirt province (Turkey). Totally twenty different grape cultivars were investigated. In the present study, the antioxidant activity (total phenolic, flavonoid, proanthocyanidin content, DPPH and FRAP activity) in seeds were indicated and phylogenetic analysis (cpDNA;trnL-F region) of twenty native grape cultivars were investigated to construct their phylogenetic tree. According to reported data on antioxidant activity and content of phytochemicals, all cultivars exhibited different values from each other, but Rutik and Gadüv cultivars were found as significantly higher in comparison to others. According to bioinformatics analysis, twenty grape cultivars were distributed into six different major groups. Rutik and Sevkeye cultivars exhibit significant distinction from other grape cultivars.
    [Show full text]
  • Two Routes to an Impasse: Understanding Turkey's
    Two Routes to an Impasse: Understanding Turkey’s Kurdish Policy Ayşegül Aydin Cem Emrence turkey project policy paper Number 10 • December 2016 policy paper Number 10, December 2016 About CUSE The Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE) at Brookings fosters high-level U.S.-Europe- an dialogue on the changes in Europe and the global challenges that affect transatlantic relations. As an integral part of the Foreign Policy Studies Program, the Center offers independent research and recommendations for U.S. and European officials and policymakers, and it convenes seminars and public forums on policy-relevant issues. CUSE’s research program focuses on the transforma- tion of the European Union (EU); strategies for engaging the countries and regions beyond the frontiers of the EU including the Balkans, Caucasus, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine; and broader European security issues such as the future of NATO and forging common strategies on energy security. The Center also houses specific programs on France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. About the Turkey Project Given Turkey’s geopolitical, historical and cultural significance, and the high stakes posed by the foreign policy and domestic issues it faces, Brookings launched the Turkey Project in 2004 to foster informed public consideration, high‐level private debate, and policy recommendations focusing on developments in Turkey. In this context, Brookings has collaborated with the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD) to institute a U.S.-Turkey Forum at Brookings. The Forum organizes events in the form of conferences, sem- inars and workshops to discuss topics of relevance to U.S.-Turkish and transatlantic relations.
    [Show full text]
  • Turkey 2020 Human Rights Report
    TURKEY 2020 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Turkey is a constitutional republic with an executive presidential system and a unicameral 600-seat parliament (the Grand National Assembly). In presidential and parliamentary elections in 2018, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe observers expressed concern regarding restrictions on media reporting and the campaign environment, including the jailing of a presidential candidate that restricted the ability of opposition candidates to compete on an equal basis and campaign freely. The National Police and Jandarma, under the control of the Ministry of Interior, are responsible for security in urban areas and rural and border areas, respectively. The military has overall responsibility for border control and external security. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over law enforcement officials, but mechanisms to investigate and punish abuse and corruption remained inadequate. Members of the security forces committed some abuses. Under broad antiterror legislation passed in 2018 the government continued to restrict fundamental freedoms and compromised the rule of law. Since the 2016 coup attempt, authorities have dismissed or suspended more than 60,000 police and military personnel and approximately 125,000 civil servants, dismissed one-third of the judiciary, arrested or imprisoned more than 90,000 citizens, and closed more than 1,500 nongovernmental organizations on terrorism-related grounds, primarily for alleged ties to the movement of cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the government accused of masterminding the coup attempt and designated as the leader of the “Fethullah Terrorist Organization.” Significant human rights issues included: reports of arbitrary killings; suspicious deaths of persons in custody; forced disappearances; torture; arbitrary arrest and continued detention of tens of thousands of persons, including opposition politicians and former members of parliament, lawyers, journalists, human rights activists, and employees of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Macroeconomic Effects of Tax Competition in Turkey
    Ahmet Burçin Yereli Macroeconomic effects of tax competition in Turkey Introduction Globalisation and new electronic technologies can permit a proliferation of tax re- gimes designed to attract geographically mobile activities. Governments must take measures, in particular intensifying their international co-operation, if the worldwide reduction in welfare caused by tax-induced distortions in capital and financial flows is to be avoided and their tax bases protected. Evidently, the OECD has a problem with tax competition: If nothing is done, governments may increasingly be forced to engage in competitive tax bid- ding to attract or retain mobile activities. That ‘race to the bottom’, where location and fi- nancing decisions become primarily tax driven, will mean that capital and financial flows will be distorted and it will become more difficult to achieve fair competition for real economic activities. (Laband, 2000) The concept of tax competition is the focus of this study, which will discuss the macroeconomic effects of financial policies based upon tax competition which have been pursued after 1980 in Turkey. The Turkish case is also compared with European – especially east European – countries. The concept of tax competition Globalisation is knitting separate national economies into a single world economy. This is occurring as a result of rising trade and investment flows, greater labour mo- bility and rapid transfers of technology. Individuals and businesses gain greater free- dom, as economic integration increases, to take advantage of foreign economic opportunities. This, in turn, increases the sensitivity of investment and location deci- sions to taxation. Countries feel pressure to reduce tax rates to avoid driving away their tax bases.
    [Show full text]
  • Turkey: Background and U.S
    Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations Jim Zanotti Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs February 2, 2012 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R41368 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations Summary Congress has an active role to play in shaping and overseeing U.S. relations with Turkey, and several Turkish domestic and foreign policy issues have significant relevance for U.S. interests. This report provides background information on Turkey and discusses possible policy options for Members of Congress and the Obama Administration. U.S. relations with Turkey—a longtime North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally—have evolved over time as global challenges to U.S. interests have changed. Turkey’s economic dynamism and geopolitical importance—it straddles Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia and now has the world’s 16th-largest economy—have increased its influence regionally and globally. Although Turkey still depends on the United States and other NATO allies for political and strategic support, growing economic diversification and military self-reliance allows Turkey to exercise greater leverage with the West. These trends have helped fuel continuing Turkish political transformation led in the past decade by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has Islamist roots. Future domestic political developments may determine how Turkey reconciles respect for democratic views that favor Turkish nationalism and traditional Sunni Muslim values with protection of individual freedoms, minority rights, rule of law, and the principle of secular governance. Debate on issues such as the status of Turkey’s ethnic Kurdish population, the civil- military balance, the role of religion in public life, and heightened concern over press freedom could coalesce in 2012 around a proposal for a new constitution.
    [Show full text]
  • Thirty Years of Conflict and Economic Growth in Turkey: a Synthetic Control Approach
    LSE ‘Europe in Question’ Discussion Paper Series Thirty Years of Conflict and Economic Growth in Turkey: A Synthetic Control Approach Fırat Bilgel and Burhan Can Karahasan LEQS Paper No. 112/2016 June 2016 Editorial Board Dr Abel Bojar Dr Vassilis Monastiriotis Dr Jonathan White Dr Katjana Gattermann Dr Sonja Avlijas All views expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the editors or the LSE. © Fırat Bilgel and Burhan Can Karahasan Thirty Years of Conflict and Economic Growth in Turkey: A Synthetic Control Approach Fırat Bilgel* and Burhan Can Karahasan** Abstract This study seeks to estimate the economic effects of PKK terrorism in Turkey in a causal framework. We create a synthetic control group that reproduces the Turkish real per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before PKK terrorism emerged in the second half of the 1980s. We compare the GDP of the synthetic Turkey without terrorism to the actual Turkey with terrorism for the period 1955-2008. Covering the period of 1988-2008, we find that the Turkish per capita GDP would have been higher by an average of about $1,585 per year had it not been exposed to PKK terrorism. This translates into an average of 13.8 percent higher per capita GDP or a 0.62 percentage points higher annual growth over a period of 21 years. Our estimate is robust to country exclusion, sparse controls, various non-outcome characteristics as predictors of GDP, alternative specifications of the in-space placebo experiments and to other potentially confounding interventions to the sample units in the pre-terrorism period.
    [Show full text]