Global Crises and the Right-Wing Populism in Turkey

This paper aims to provide a relational and critical analysis of the rise and transformation of the right-wing populist regime in Turkey over the past two decades from a global perspective. Drawing on critical studies of Gramscian organic crisis of the international system, it examines the interplay between global crises and local dynamics to understand the class base, political discourse, and transformation of the Erdogan regime. The paper demonstrates that Erdogan’s first decade in power was primarily driven by neoliberal developmentalism, whereby the regime relied on economic growth and redistribution to garner public support. It then details the regime's transition to authoritarian militarism in its second decade, a period marked by escalating geopolitical crises that have arisen alongside the decline of U.S. hegemony since the early 21st century. More specifically, the paper analyzes the regime’s increasingly aggressive foreign policy and its involvement in proxy and civil wars in the MENA region, aimed at securing continued popular and elite support in Turkey. It also highlights how authoritarian militarization is intertwined with the regime’s new accumulation strategies, particularly through the dronization and reconstruction of war zones through mega construction projects across borders. This new political economy of war-making aligns with Erdogan’s neo-Ottoman revivalist rhetoric, further intensifying this specific form of nationalism. Ultimately, the paper explores the implications of the shift from neoliberal developmentalism to enhanced militarization, discussing its impact on the regime’s further radicalization and authoritarianism.