Import Substitute Industrialization Experience of Türkiye in the Eyes of a State-Raised Planning Specialist (1960-1980)

Abstract

During the second half of the 20th century, many countries in the world adopted import substitute industrialization policies to construct domestic industry. Turkish experience of ISI can neither be depicted as a disaster, nor the ultimate end was achieved with this policy. This article scrutinizes implementation of ISI policies in Türkiye between 1960-1980 in comparison with Asian and Latin American countries. Also, this article traces the implementation of ISI policies in the memoirs of Ertan Yülek who witnesses the overall process when he was serving as a specialist in industrial organizations during this period. Both the academic literature and eyewitnesses of Ertan Yülek indicate that ISI policies could be beneficial for the Turkish economy if political stability could be achieved.