From: ko@cns.umist.ac.uk (Kutluk Ozguven)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.turkish,talk.politics.mideast,talk.politics.soviet,soc.culture.soviet,soc.culture.greek,soc.culture.europe
Subject: Re: No Wonder The Greek Economy Is In Shambles, 'Skartsis.'
Date: 7 Apr 92 10:08:49 GMT
Organization: UMIST, Manchester, England.

ryyti@jyu.fi (Jarmo Ryyti) writes:

>In article <9204040359.A9076eJ@anadolu.michigan.com> han@anadolu.michigan.com (hasan.b.mutlu) writes:
>>
>>
>><1992Apr2.170015.19423@wuche2.wustl.edu>
>>ls0823@wuche1.wustl.edu
>>
>>>Great, now I have to answer that!
>>
>>
>>>I have been watching the OECD reports  regarding income adj. for PPP
>>>(purchasing power parity) for years; for 1990 that of Greece was
>>>near $6900 and that of Turkey $4200 (remember "in the same category"
>>>could mean that one is half than the other). However, there are two
>>>things to be pointed out:
>>
>>Which one: 'Absolute Purchasing Power Parity' or 'Relative Purchasing
>>Power Parity?' Clearly, Absolute PPP --> Relative PPP but not vice versa.
>>
>>>Anyway , the GDP per capita (not PPP, the real one) 
>>>of Greece in 1989 was $5300 and that of Turkey $1300; in 1990 they were
>>>$6900 and $1700 respectively (Turkey is doing well in its macroeconomic
>>
>>Wake up and smell the Turkish coffee; the GDP per capita (or GNP for
>>that matter) is not a reliable indicator of the wealth. In constructing 
>>a reference commodity basket to measure purchasing power, it is 
>>therefore likely that the Italian government will put a relatively
>>high weight on olive oil, the Japanese government a high weight
>>on sushi, and the French government a high weight on croissants.
>>
>>Source: 'World Development Report: 1990'
>>
>>	"Data On The Turkish Economy"
>>
>>1. Average annual growth rate of GNP per capita: 9.6%
>>2. Average annual energy production growth rate: 8.9%
>>3. Share of Education: 18.1%
>>4. Share of Economic Services: 22.1%
>>5. Average annual growth rate of exports: 15.3%
>>6. Average annual growth rate of imports: 10.3%
>>7. Share of 0-14 years old in population: 35.4%
>>8. Share of 15-64 years old in population: 60.3%
>>9. Crude birth rate per thousand population: 30
>>10. Crude death rate per thousand population: 8
>>11. Average annual growth rate of urban population: 3.4% 
>>12. Urban population as a share of total population: 47%
>>13. Government budget deficit as share of GNP: -4.0%
>>14. Energy consumption per capita: 822 kg. of oil equivalent.
>>15. Life expectancy at birth: 64 years
>>16. ...
>>
>>Source: 'United Nations, Human Development Report,' 1990.
>>
>>Annual Output Per Person in Dollars Adjusted to Purchasing Power
>>Parity: Turkiye, Greece and Chile are in the same category. That
>>is, $3,000 - $5,999. 
>>
>>Source: 'International Economics: Theory and Policy' by Paul R.
>>        Krugman and Maurice Obstfeld, Harper Collins Publishers,
>>        1991, (second edition).
>>
>>In terms of 'Annual Output Per Person in Dollars Adjusted to 

>Jarmo Ryyti writes,

>To compare sconimics of two cuntries liek Turkey and Creece is interesting
>but may be difficult.
>But how  about illiteracy? I have an impression that there in Turkey
>millons of people in Turkey who cannot read and write are illiterates.
>Especially Turkish women are very poorly educated and the rate of illiteracy
>is very high among them. Does these figures give any empression of the
>level of the country? Who have figures regarding litaracy rates in Turkey
>among the men and women and the same figures from Creece.
>Finland has had more than one hundred years 100 % literacy rate among the
>adults. What about turkish standards? Especially women's?
>jarmo ryyti
>finlandiya


I agree with you completely that statistics are not the
only criteria that shows the level of a country. But I
think this argument is not on your side. Finland is 
wonderful in every statistics, almost a paradise. But
it is hardly so in fact, as people tell. They say, the
Finns have no means to socialize other than heavy drinking,
they say the climate is awful, people are down, people
commit suicide much more than bad-statistics countries.
If one cannot eat decent food, cannot feel the warmth of 
friendship, have the fear his children will be gay next day,
and the intention to commit suicide.... why should one
care about the wonderful % 100 rate of literacy and speaking
English. I think in those aspects "poor" Turks are better
than other people think of them. 

Civilization is not merely statistics.

Regards

Kutluk