IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/130345.html

Doors and Engines: A Theory of Selection and Treatment Effects in European Integration, with Evidence from Greece and Türkiye

Author

Listed:
  • Okyar, Aida Idil

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examines whether economic development preceded or was strengthened by European Economic Community (EEC) membership through a comparative analysis of Greece and Türkiye. Drawing on economic growth, transformation, and institutional theories, it uses comparative, qualitative, and quantitative evidence to assess European integration's determinants and consequences. The findings indicate that Greece's accession depended mainly on democratic consolidation, institutional quality, and macroeconomic stability, not economic development, with long-term economic benefits emerging gradually after accession. Although full European Union (EU) membership offers larger economic gains than Türkiye's partial integration, these benefits depend on domestic institutional capacity and reform. Overall, the study concludes that accession was a political and institutional selection process, while membership acted as a conditional driver of long-term economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Okyar, Aida Idil, 2026. "Doors and Engines: A Theory of Selection and Treatment Effects in European Integration, with Evidence from Greece and Türkiye," MPRA Paper 130345, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:130345
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/130345/1/MPRA_paper_130345.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Berk Esen & Sebnem Gumuscu, 2016. "Rising competitive authoritarianism in Turkey," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(9), pages 1581-1606, September.
    2. Campos, Nauro F. & Coricelli, Fabrizio & Moretti, Luigi, 2019. "Institutional integration and economic growth in Europe," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 88-104.
    3. Glenn W. Harrison & Thomas F. Rutherford & David G. Tarr, 2014. "Economic implications for Turkey of a Customs Union with the European Union," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: APPLIED TRADE POLICY MODELING IN 16 COUNTRIES Insights and Impacts from World Bank CGE Based Projects, chapter 16, pages 395-404, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Dreyer, Johannes Kabderian & Schmid, Peter Alfons, 2017. "Growth effects of EU and EZ memberships: Empirical findings from the first 15 years of the Euro," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 45-54.
    5. Nicholas Leounakis & Plutarchos Sakellaris, 2014. "Greek Economic Growth since 1960," Working Papers 201416, Athens University Of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    6. Oltheten, Elisabeth & Pinteris, George & Sougiannis, Theodore, 2003. "Greece in the European Union: policy lessons from two decades of membership," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 774-806.
    7. Henrekson, Magnus & Torstensson, Johan & Torstensson, Rasha, 1997. "Growth effects of European integration," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(8), pages 1537-1557, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andrea Caragliu, 2022. "Better together: Untapped potentials in Central Europe," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 101(5), pages 1051-1085, October.
    2. Pomerlyan, Evgeniya & Belitski, Maksim, 2023. "Integration - Growth relationship: A literature review and future research agenda using a TCCM approach," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 1106-1118.
    3. Vera Eichenauer & Ronald Indergand & Isabel Z. Martínez & Christoph Sax, 2020. "Constructing Daily Economic Sentiment Indices Based on Google Trends," KOF Working papers 20-484, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    4. Campos, Nauro F. & Eichenauer, Vera Z. & Sturm, Jan-Egbert, 2020. "Close encounters of the European kind: Economic integration, sectoral heterogeneity and structural reforms," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    5. Halmai, Péter, 2020. "A dezintegráció gazdaságtana. A brexit esete [The economics of disintegration. The case of Brexit]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(9), pages 837-877.
    6. Muhammad Ibrahim Shah, 2021. "Investigating the Role of Regional Economic Integration on Growth: Fresh Insights from South Asia," Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, Emerging Markets Forum, vol. 13(1), pages 35-57, January.
    7. Andrzej Cieślik & Mehmet Burak Turgut, 2021. "Estimating the Growth Effects of 2004 Eastern Enlargement of the European Union," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-15, March.
    8. Ivana Rukavina, 2022. "Evaluation of macroeconomic outcomes and the seven-year membership of Croatia in the European Union," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 46(1), pages 1-42.
    9. Timo Mitze & Philipp Breidenbach, 2024. "The complex regional effects of macro-institutional change: evidence from EU enlargement over three decades," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 160(4), pages 1443-1475, November.
    10. Antonio Mihi-Ramirez & Elias Melchor-Ferrer & Yolanda Garcia-Rodriguez, 2022. "Why Do Regions Differ in Growth? The Productivity of the Eurozone and Its Contribution to the Added Value of Its European Neighbors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    11. Papaioannou, Sotiris K., 2021. "European monetary integration, TFP and productivity convergence," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    12. Makram El-Shagi & Steven Yamarik, 2023. "Growth Effects of EU Expansion: A Penalized Synthetic Control Method," CFDS Discussion Paper Series 2023/4, Center for Financial Development and Stability at Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, China.
    13. Xinshen DIAO & Terry L. ROE & A. Erinç YELDAN, 1999. "How Fiscal Mismanagement May Impede Trade Reform: Lessons From An Intertemporal, Multi-Sector General Equilibrium Model For Turkey," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 37(1), pages 59-88, March.
    14. Özgür Orhangazi & A. Erinç Yeldan, 2021. "The Re‐making of the Turkish Crisis," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 52(3), pages 460-503, May.
    15. Crafts, Nicholas, 2021. "What Can We Learn from the UK’s Post-1945 Economic Reforms?," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1370, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    16. Kiohos, Apostolos & Stoupos, Nikolaos, 2025. "Monetary alignment or divergence? - Exchange rates and economic dynamics in non-euro European countries," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    17. Tomasz Brodzicki, 2005. "Econometric Analysis of Impact of Relative Location on the Growth Effects of Economic Integration. The case of the EU," Working Papers of Economics of European Integration Division 0603, The Univeristy of Gdansk, Faculty of Economics, Economics of European Integration Division, revised Jan 2006.
    18. Selin Sayek & David D. Selover, 2002. "International Interdependence and Business Cycle Transmission between Turkey and the European Union," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 69(2), pages 206-238, October.
    19. Thomas Fellmann & Myrna Leeuwen & Petra Salamon & Ali Koc & Gulden Boluk, 2012. "EU Enlargement to Turkey: Potential Effects on Turkey’s Agricultural Income and Markets," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 2(2), pages 1-16, December.
    20. Arjan Lejour & Vladimir Solanic & Paul Tang, 2009. "EU Accession and Income Growth: An Empirical Approach," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 16(1), pages 127-144, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F53 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Agreements and Observance; International Organizations
    • O19 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - International Linkages to Development; Role of International Organizations
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:130345. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.