Political economy (economy policy) analysis of the transport sector in Turkey during the period of liberalization

Transportation is one of the most important industry services that affect the socio-economic development of a country. Transportation has the potential to increase the state's performance in service sector through its functional and structural features. Transportation policies based on complementary rather than competitive characteristics have a substantial impact on the socio-economic development of a country as well as its contribution to the developments of other industries. This study has examined the developments in Turkey's transportation industry with a historical analysis of how the liberalisation in the political and economic context had affected the transportation services in Turkey. This thesis has specifically explored how the liberalisation of Turkey since the 1980s and its westernisation policy of becoming a European Union member have shaped the country's socio-economic policies and the relationship between public and private sectors and determined Turkey's perspective on new trade routes in the globe. The thesis argues that as Turkey is located in a key geographic area, its mega transportation projects have positive contributions to the socio-economic developments in both local, regional and global contexts.