Can Turkey be a model country for democracy?

The executives of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) initiated dialogue with leaders of the world before coming into the power. Islamist thinker Ali Bulaç suggested that "this government can be the conscience of the world" and he put forth serious discussions on the AK Party's role as the world's conscience.

Turkey's role as a model for democracy and exporting this model explicitly not only for Islamic countries but also for Western counties is not a fallacy. Democracy was founded on deep roots in the West. It is based on social tensions, world wars and big social agreements, and the experience of Western democracy is an important factor. However, Western countries could not find a way to distinguish their system of thought, economy and democracy from colonialism.

The West imposed a system on the world. In this system, Western countries will be democratic for their own rights and apply democratic means to the full extent. However, the dominant interests of the West will be maintained in these countries, even though they are democratic and developed countries.

The tradition of colonialism in the West, its commercial interests and military superiority needed to increase arithmetically to persistently keep Western countries in a dilemma about democracy and other nations.

The fact that Western countries adopt an interest-oriented policy forces them to be friends with a king or dictator and advocate a military coup or cooperate with the most cruel and racist people in the world. In that case, the interests of Western countries are always considered together with Western democracy and freedom. When the implementation of democracy and freedom in the U.K., Norway and the Netherlands is taken into consideration, it can be claimed that their implementation is consistent with their values. However, the long-lasting partnership between the West and Saddam Hussein, close relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia and the adoption of an attitude in favor of the military coup in Egypt show that the Western system is in contradiction with democracy.

The successor of the last empire of the world, the Republic of Turkey, does not bear the burden of always pursuing colonialism and its interests as Western countries do. The pluralist sense of administration of the Ottoman Empire, the tradition of respecting the rights of different religions, races and cultures, and especially the principles of Islam which protect Christians and Jews put Turkey in an advantageous position in this context.

The democratization and liberation process of Turkey which has been implemented for 10 years both make advances toward Westerns norms and aims for freedom for its own citizens.

Its fundamental target is the liberation, development and rise of Turkish citizens. There is no reason which prevents Turkey from taking steps to create a more developed country, democratic environment and free individuals.

Therefore, the democratic structure of the Republic of Turkey may be a model not only for Muslim countries but also for Western countries in the long run, because Turkey does not bear the burden of historical imperialism and obligations to place its interests ahead of other countries. This comfort is readily available to create and maintain a developed democratic model as an example for the world.