Türkiye, Israel, Iran as examples of MidEast scientific-industrial modernisation
Drawing parallels

ANALYTICS  10 October 2022 - 14:30

Both opposing sides in the Ukraine war use high-tech weapons from the Middle East - Turkish and Iranian. Some may find it absurd that it has become so crucial for these countries. You should also not laugh.

While Russia and Ukraine listened to the arguments of liberal economists that factories are already the past, and illiberal economists about the fact that they allegedly make superweapons, Türkiye and Iran have been carrying out serious scientific and industrial modernisation for the past 20 years. It turned out to be more successful in Türkiye, but Iran has also achieved something. Both countries have developed education - Türkiye's university centres are growing rapidly, while about 6 million students are currently studying in Iran. Both countries built new factories and plants, in which both private and state capital participated. The result was that Türkiye has now become the largest supplier of passenger cars to the European market, and has learned how to make modern warships and Bayraktar drones; the Turkish main battle tank Altai is on the way. Iran exports its Shaheed-131 kamikaze drones with a range of 900 km and a powerful warhead.

The third Middle Eastern country that has achieved tremendous success in the field of modern technologies, both military and civilian, is Israel. Speaking of Israel, many for some reason call it a European country. This seriously distorts the understanding of reality. In many ways, Israel is just a typical Middle Eastern state. This is indicated by the huge role of the army in public life (the military runs many companies in a number of sectors of the economy, and one of the largest parties in the previous elections was led by three generals - former chiefs of the General Staff), the decisive predominance of Eastern culture in some areas (food, music), the exclusive role of religion in society and its inseparability from the institutions of the state (in Israel, deaths, marriages, divorces and some other acts are controlled by representatives of the clergy), a large and inefficient bureaucracy.

The high role of the army in public life and, at the same time, the significant influence of religion on it are characteristic of both Türkiye and Iran (although each case has its own peculiarities).

However, Israel has managed to build a two-sector economy in which high-tech and defence play an extremely important role, are largely export-oriented and are the locomotives of the national economy. Although, on the other hand, the existing difficulties associated with underfunding education and neoliberal cuts in social spending lead to an increase in problems - there is a shortage of hi-tech personnel, which the country did not face before, in an era when the authorities pursued a more social policy.

It is also noteworthy that these three non-Arab countries - Israel, Türkiye and Iran - are the most powerful Middle East states competing for regional influence. This state of affairs is not an accident, on the contrary, it is a reflection of their modernisation policy.

Military affairs accurately reflect what is happening in society. The development of technology, industry, science and education strengthens the state's military power and the army. The Middle East, or at least the three countries mentioned, is going through the same process of scientific and industrial development today as the rising giants of Asia. China, India and South Korea have shown amazing results, with the first two gradually turning into scientific, industrial and military superpowers, or at least capable of becoming them in the future.

Caliber.Az