Middle income trap: Is it a mandatory phase for Turkey?

The concept of the Middle Income Trap was introduced into the literature in 2007 as a result of research by two World Bank experts. MIT; countries in the lower income groups, experiencing a certain economic growth per capita national income over time to the middle income group to be promoted to the middle income group, then expresses that the high income group. In our study, growth and development theories, which constitute the conceptual framework of MIT, are discussed and their relationship with middle income trap is explained in detail. In the literature, different methods have been used in the studies conducted for the detection of MIT and different results have emerged. In order to ensure homogeneity across countries, countries are divided into income groups according to World Bank data and characteristics of income groups are examined. Thus, where revenues are determined group are Turkey's economy. Turkey's economy, panel data analysis by examining the start of the neoliberal transformation since 1980 until 2018 were examined. Method as the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index were examined using Turkey's economy. According to the analysis; Turkey's economy has escaped the country compared with the successful middle income trap. While Turkey has fulfilled the basic requirements of economic development, the need for major structural correction factors to ensure the stability of the growth has been observed. In order for the Turkish economy to emerge from the middle income trap, it needs to make a series of structural reforms from institutional arrangements to R & D activities. Keywords: Income Group, the Middle Income Trap, Turkey Economy, Global Competitiveness Index.