Economic Experiment or Suicide?

“Balık baştan kokar” (A fish rots from the head down/ Corruption starts at the top)- Famous Turkish Proverb

The Netflix historical docudrama “Rise of Empires: Ottoman” beautifully depicts the conquest of Constantinople by Mehmed the Conqueror. The Romans ruled the “strategic” Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) for centuries before it fell to the Ottomans. With the power centre at Instanbul, the mighty Ottomans ruled vast swaths of Europe, the Middle East, and even Africa. However, the Sultanate's rule of the Ottoman Empire ended after 623 years on 1st November 1922, and thus 100 years ago, we got modern-day Turkey.

You might be wondering why a small history lesson today? Well, this is because we need to understand that the Ottoman Empire was one of the most powerful empires in medieval history, and Turkey’s strategic location makes it vulnerable to geopolitical conflicts. Surrounded by Syria, Iran, Georgia and Greece, Turkey’s geography ensures that conflicts and controversies always …