Greek–Turkish Relations and the Kantian Democratic Peace Theory

Abstract

Since the late 1990s, Greek–Turkish relations have undergone significant transformation. Both countries have reengineered their relations towards one another, and Turkey's candidature for EU membership has been an important factor in this transformation. The aim of this article is to examine the shift that has taken place in Greek–Turkish relations through the prism of the Kantian democratic peace theory. A conceptual discussion of the democratic peace theory is followed by a comparative analysis of the political, economic and institutional variables in the case of Greece and Turkey, and a presentation of the progress that has been achieved in many aspects of the bilateral relationship. Given the nature of the unresolved issues that continue to render Greek–Turkish relations vulnerable, the authors conclude that ‘issue management’ will most likely characterize bilateral relations in the short to medium term, hoping that the trends of economic and social exchange, cooperation and interdependence will continue on their current upward path.