Why Turkey is stuffed
From Mr Laurence Raw Sir: I would like to thank Professor Stone for drawing readers' attention to the consequences of the recent economic crisis in Turkey ('The sick man of Europe', 21 April), especially for those who would wish to westernise the country.
However. I would like to point out that the crisis might have a more cataclysmic effect: a change in the country's entire political culture. Prime Minister BC)lent Ecevit and his cabinet have been discredited; they remain in government simply because no suitable alternative exists. Whereas people in the past were prepared to put up with such mismanagement, now they have taken to the streets, Trade unions and (particularly) small-business people are not prepared to trust the government; they are calling instead for the economy to become less centralised, to allow private enterprise to flourish more easily.
The existing political culture must change to prevent Turkey from hitting rock bottom.
Laurence Raw
Ankara, Turkey
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