Businessmen and the EU

Since the approval of Turkey s candidacy to the EU
membership at Helsinki Council, Turkey has taken a
long path in consolidation of its democracy. Yet,
before 1998, demands of the civil actors for the
realization of the Copenhagen Criteria were met with
serious criticisms and even trials. In such a
political climate Turkish Industrialists and
Businessmen s Association (TÜS AD), an organization
that represented the interests of Turkish
conglomerates, pushed for further democratization.
This was an important development given the fact that
Turkish businessmen were keen on to keep relations
with national authorities intact. This book is an
attempt to analyze the reasons behind the change of
the attitudes of the TÜS AD towards the state. It
deals with the contributions of TÜS AD on Turkey-EU
relations and the reasons behind with special
reference to the influences Turkish political culture
on Turkish businessmen. It traces the evolution of
the relationship among the state and the businessmen
in Turkey from a historical perspective.
Consequently, it deals with continuities and ruptures
in the relationship between the state and the
businessmen in Turkey.

Autorentext

Received M.A Degree from International Relations Department Bilkent University in 2006. PhD Candidate at Political Science Department Bilkent University, Ankara.

Klappentext

Since the approval of Turkey's candidacy to the EUmembership at Helsinki Council, Turkey has taken along path in consolidation of its democracy. Yet,before 1998, demands of the civil actors for therealization of the Copenhagen Criteria were met withserious criticisms and even trials. In such apolitical climate Turkish Industrialists' andBusinessmen's Association (TÜSIAD), an organizationthat represented the interests of Turkishconglomerates, pushed for further democratization.This was an important development given the fact thatTurkish businessmen were keen on to keep relationswith national authorities intact. This book is anattempt to analyze the reasons behind the change ofthe attitudes of the TÜSIAD towards the state. Itdeals with the contributions of TÜSIAD on Turkey-EUrelations and the reasons behind with specialreference to the influences Turkish political cultureon Turkish businessmen. It traces the evolution ofthe relationship among the state and the businessmenin Turkey from a historical perspective.Consequently, it deals with continuities and rupturesin the relationship between the state and thebusinessmen in Turkey.