The rise of political ıslam in Turkey: The case of the welfare party

Abstract

This article provides an analytical discussion on the rise of political Islam in Turkey by examining the rise of the Islamic Welfare Party in the 1990s. The study, utilizing a historic analysis, reveals that the Islamic opposition in Turkey is both a reaction to Kemalist reforms and to undesirable local conditions, especially, economic distress, unjust distribution of national wealth, corruption, and perceived lack of freedom. Certain structural conditions aiding the Welfare Party to increase its power are also discussed. Many lessons learned in terms of managing the Islamic challenge and implications with respect to the prospect are addressed at the end.