Islamic Political Identity in Turkey

the political economy of islamic discourse 97the dominance of the state has been the major source for the emergence of aprotoindividual (see next paragraph) in Turkey. As a result of this economicconWdence, Turkish society redeWned politics as “deliberation” and used it toreorganize the state-society boundary. These economic processes helped tounpack the imagined homogenous “people” of Turkey, such as Kurds, Islamists,liberals, women, and Turks.Turkey has experienced the growth of an entrepreneurial spirit that has hadan important impact on Islamic identity. Risk taking, the emergence of groupindividuality, and joint venturism are features of this entrepreneurial spirit.Willingness to take risks is signiWcant because it involves liberation from blindsubmission to a higher order. The spirit of risk taking brings to the Turkishidentity debate an approximation (protoindividualism) of the idiomatic characterof individualism as understood in the West. This is so because, as noted byMax Weber, the character of an entrepreneur virtually requires an elective aYnityto risk taking. Because of the correspondence between these “leaps of faith” (thatare necessary to both religion and risk taking) the synergy between the two is atthe same time psychologically and socially satisfying.SuW groups and other solidarity associations have stabilized the uncertaintyinherent in market situations by developing ethical and normative ties of membershipthat enable Muslim entrepreneurs to embrace the all-important virtue oftrust in their business relations. These relations, in turn, further consolidate thereligious groups and their role in society. This process promotes trade connectionsamong the followers of religious groups and creates a set of business codesand ethics. Trust and the promise of future interactions in turn play a key role inthe formation of prosperous trade networks. Those who are strangers in the market(such as the state bourgeoisie) are also strangers in a deeper cultural sense.Joint ventures are the method by which two distinct groups or individualsbecome partners to achieve a desired end that is made more eYcient or moreproWtable through their cooperation. In other words, without one of the parties,the desired end cannot be accomplished with a viable proWt margin. Joint venturescan occur within the same group category (SuW and SuW) or with outsiders.Intragroup collaboration is guided by the deWning characteristics of the group.However, what of intergroup ventures? In the United States, the possibility ofcorporations or individuals of diverse backgrounds joining together in a high-riskventure is not something remarkable, as a strong legal framework that protectsthe parties from risk and breach of contract has developed. In Turkey, such intergroupventures can only rely on Islam in its horizontal character as providing aguiding framework and basis of trust for maintaining the venture’s integrity andthat of its partners. Market relations thus also demonstrate the need for ethicalpractices and bonds of trust that religion is well suited to provide.Patterns of ConsumptionA closer examination of Islamic groups indicates visible class demarcations.These lines are manifested through patterns of consumption. The followers of