Islamists running a globalizing economy—and well

ARTICLE: "Muslim Land Joins Ranks of Tigers: Turkey's Islamist-Leaning Leaders Embrace Free Markets," by Andrew Higgins and Farnaz Fassini, Wall Street Journal, 6 August 2008, p. A1.

Six years in power and the Islamist AKP (Justice and Development Party) continues to live up to both halves of its name:

From tourism and tomato growing to car making, Turkey has prospered far more under an Islam-tinged government than it did under some previous, ardently secular administrations more in tune with the often decidedly un-Islamic ways of many Turkish businesspeople.

Surviving the head scarf flap (AKP wanted to let female college students wear them if desired and were taken to court and almost outlawed on that basis).

Hey, booze sales are skyrocketing, so something's working.

Islamists in the Middle East have long condemned the mix, but Islam and capitalism as a continuing experiment is "closely watched in big parts of the Muslim world."

Lead goose—do your thang!

Enterra will have an office in Istanbul soon. It's a natural.

Comments

[Louis Heberlein]

Islam was started by a guy involved in international trade. He started a religious theme that could unite squabbling tribal groups that were interfering with trade and slowing the benefits of modernization in the area. The first Islamic rule sets focused on practices for unity and fairness within the Islamic community and with others with which they interacted. Even when they first expanded rule sets like the Magrib code laid the ground work for fair trade deals with distant foreign agents. The main penalty for violators was no more contacts or information about new opportunities. The return of Europe's trade with Renaissance used such rule sets as models.

Islam later grew dangerous when it was seized in power struggles that exploited ideology. So did Christianity in Europe after Constantine made it a major political factor for his Empire.

Unfortunately, Turkey was a major player in the power exploitation of Islam back then. Maybe lessons from those earlier times are part of its thinking today.

[Javaid Akhtar]

I've always felt that "pre-Muslims " only converted to avoid the taxes levied by other Muslims ..who only came to their doorstep because they were running along the natural trade routes.These places and peoples should naturally incline themselves towards freely trading because thats the forces that spread the religion in the first place.look how communism did'nt really take a deep hold over Islamic lands and if we were really frank about ...regardless of the long war and east /west diversions....Most of the Islamic countries are firmly under the secutiry umbrella of the USA.They really are at home there.