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Lee Kuan Yew is great example of a leader whose wise economic policies lifted up a nation. I would argue that in his case, it was based on a clear understanding of, and commitment to, sound economic principles.

That does not have to be tied to democratic political behavior to work - it worked for the South Korean Military Government, Pinochet in Chile, and Sheik Mo in Dubai, just as did for Ronald Reagan.

I am saying that unlike them, Erdogan adopted his economic positions not out of intellectual commitment to them, or even with a deep understanding of them, but out of sheer political expediency. Just like he said of democracy - it is like a train you get off of, when you arrive at your destination - his old economic policies were just political props for him, which he has now widely discarded.

That is why I doubt that he will be able to manage the Turkish economy successfully through bad times - he is making things worse now, much worse.

“I am saying that unlike them, Erdogan adopted his economic positions not out of intellectual commitment to them, or even with a deep understanding of them, but out of sheer political expediency. Just like he said of democracy - it is like a train you get off of, when you arrive at your destination - his old economic policies were just political props for him, which he has now widely discarded.”

So you’re saying he’s just a moron who got lucky. That may be the case. But I’ve been reading articles about his impending political demise for the last 5 years now. I’m skeptical. He’s been in power for 15 years now. That’s a fairly long tenure for any major issues not to show up.