| This study attempts to clarify the role of religious values in the rise of new pious Muslim entrepreneurs in Turkey, based on field study carried out in Kayseri from 1980 to the present. It particularly attempts to account for the influence of religion on the work ethic of these entrepreneurs, popularly known as "Anatolian Tigers." To achieve the goals of this research, in-depth interviews were held with thirty Turkish business people from both religious and secular backgrounds. The qualitative data was interpreted by using a discourse analysis technique. In this research, special attention is given to the evolving power balance between the secular elite and the new pious economic class, which replaces to some extent the earlier polarization between the republican elites and the people. The new pious economic elite is following a path of modernity by directly addressing needs that have been ignored by the secular republican project and its elites. The case of Turkey indicates that Westernization is not the only possible path to modernity. This new development, if indeed it continues, may prove to be one of the most important transformations determining the future of Turkey. The study also seeks to analyze the compatibility of the work ethic of pious entrepreneurs with capitalism in the case of Kayseri. This work will illustrate the impact of local heritage and religious values on modern economic activity. |
