Turkey Between Interest Rates And Conspiracy Theories

While Turkey was once praised as a "model"  for the region, the recent economic woes facing Ankara and Erdogan’s insufficient response have shaken Turkey's perception in Arab countries.
Protesters sleep outside a branch of Garanti Bank at Taksim Square in central Istanbul June 3, 2013. Turkish protesters clashed with riot police into the early hours of Monday with some setting fire to offices of the ruling AK Party as the fiercest anti-government demonstrations in years entered their fourth day. Turkey's streets were calm in the morning after a night of noisy protests and violence in major cities. The posters read, "A tree died, a nation awoke" (L), "Come with millions Tayyip" (2nd L), "Yo
Protesters sleep outside a branch of Garanti Bank in Istanbul's Taksim Square, June 3, 2013. Turkish protesters clashed with riot police into the early hours of Monday. The posters read, "A tree died, a nation awoke" (L), "Come with millions Tayyip" (2nd L), "You spray, we are growing" (R). - REUTERS/Murad Sezer
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Sami Nader
@saminader
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Our Arab societies have gotten used to conspiracy theories, in which they seem to find justification for their failure to catch up with the train of modernity. Perhaps they are subconsciously affected by their regimes, which use these conspiracy theories to establish their legitimacy and promote the propagandist media of the ruling party.

The infection has reached the Turkish government and its head, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This is surprising and shocking.

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