BY ERGUN BABAHAN
SABAH- When the United States invaded Iraq, it claimed to be bringing democracy to the Middle East. Today no one seems to talk about democracy. Democracy isn't just losing importance in the Mideast. Authoritarian tendencies are gaining strength in Russia, while China isn't willing to give up its repressive regime. Today's world is witnessing tension between democracy and authoritarian regimes.
Turkey is situated in a region straddling democracies and autocracies, and between the peaceful West and the hell of the Mideast. Our general elections scheduled for July 22 are significant from this perspective. Turkey will make a big choice in these elections.
Will we choose a system in which differences coexist peacefully, or will we choose tension and a radical authoritarian nationalist structure?
After the Cold War balances collapsed, a brand new system arose. Some generals claimed there were forces pushing Turkey to join the authoritarian group, as led by Russia and China.
This would have been a departure from the path drawn by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Turkish Republic's founder, and a split from the Western world.
Political scientists are interested in the link between democracy and a free market economy. My personal view is that Turkey chose the way of democracy and then made great progress in terms of both its industrial power and the welfare of its people.
Over the last five decades, Turkey has seen momentous developments in basic rights and freedoms. The people of Anatolia have gotten used to these freedoms. Those who want to ignore our half-century heritage are blind to this."