RENTIER CAPITALISM: DISORGANISED DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN PAKISTAN

Since the early 1950s, East Asia (China, Taiwan, and South Korea) and South-East Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam) have, despite war and other challenges, managed to transform the lives of their people, whereas South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka) has lagged. The success of East and South-East Asia has not been accidental – it has been driven by action to reduce rural poverty, by the provision of decent education and health services to the people, and by high quality physical and institutional infrastructure, such as roads, ports, and railways, and targeted support from the State to develop particular industries. In contrast, Pakistan has never confronted the problem of rural poverty, nor invested in public services. This failure is a reflection of the power of the landed class and its urban allies.