The much stronger Indian political system would have been able to deal with the adverse distribution consequences of rapid growth if another perception had not gained ground — that some of what made the rich very rich were not the consequences of risk-taking entrepreneurship, but the monetisation of close contacts with the policymakers. This group includes India, but not Bangladesh and Pakistan.
India, of course, produced in quick successions two egregious examples of the personal wealth created because of influence over government policymaking. The first was the estimated loss to the government of perhaps as much as $40 billion by the grant of mobile phone licenses to a number of companies favoured by the minister in charge in the government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Under pressure from the citizenry, the minister had to resign his position and landed in jail. This “large amount of money for favours” episode happened under the watch of the prime minister representing the Congress. But it quickly turned out that such practices were not confined to one political party. Soon after the mobile-phone scandal became public, it came to light that governing members of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party had their hands in the till as well.
There are deep concerns about the quality of governance in Pakistan as well. However, since the economy has been stagnating, there are not many rewards of growth that can be captured by narrow and powerful political elite. The Pakistani concerns are focused entirely on different aspect of governance. It is on the absence of quality governance by the legal and judicial systems. Those in Pakistan, who have focused on this aspect of good governance, have concentrated their efforts on ensuring judicial autonomy and on the reform of the legal system where it comes into contact with the common citizenry. The activists have been more successful in obtaining some movement in the former case — judicial autonomy — than in the latter, reform of the legal system.
The country’s sordid political history when the senior judiciary — the provincial high courts and the Supreme Court — were quick to give cover to palpable misuse of executive power to ride roughshod over the constitution of the day created a powerful precedence. This trend started under Chief Justice Muhammad Munir in the 1950s when he brought forward the “doctrine of necessity” to justify the dismissal of the constituent assembly by Governor-General Ghulam Muhammad. This line of thinking was happily followed by a number of successor courts when called upon to rule over the acquisition of authority by the executive at the expense of the legislature — sometimes also at the expense of the judiciary itself.
This has led to the growth of two very different citizens movements in these two South Asian countries. The focus in India in the campaign led by Anna Hazare, a Gandhian, is focused on creating an accountability mechanism that will be free of influence of the executive and legislative branches of the government. In fact, it will also have a degree of autonomy from the judiciary, the third arm of the government. If the Hazare movement succeeds in achieving its immediate objectives, it will have consequences for the working of the Indian democracy. This worries even the liberal community in India and also liberal watchers outside the country. In Pakistan, however, the concentration of citizen’s effort has been on getting an autonomous senior judiciary to watch over the working of the executive and legislative branches of government. The activists seem to have concluded that given the country’s poor record with accountability mechanisms, concentrating on judicial independence is the way to go.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2011.
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@Feroz The judiciary in India is tainted with corruption as well. In both countries time has not been kind to institutions. The scary thing about Pakistan is that in much less time the political parties have deteriorated. It took longer for India to get to this point. Also, there are more Indians 'putting their skin in the game to speak to reform the system'. http://www.tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=Ne060908thehouseofbhushan.asp The House Of Bhushan Judicial accountability is the latest passion for public good that drives the legendary father-son lawyer duo of Shashi and Prashant Bhushan, writes VIJAY SIMHA @Abhi "The Time to Rock the Vote" article makes a very good point. In all democracies campaign finance can be route to corruption (as in India and US), unless financing is made independent I find it starnge that this issue is not raised in Pakistan. How do these political parties raise funds? Is extorting businesses one of the methods in the absence of proper campaign finance?
@Sajida Thanks for tehelka link..
@Harsh so you are the authority how distributes the certificate on being Gandhian!
Why Bangladesh has been excluded from the discussion? Corruption is a common issue of governance in all the countries of South East Asia as we have a common cultural heritage, despite differences of religion and aspirations.
The real difference between the two Giants of South Asia India and Pakistan is the Constitution and Judiciary. In India the wheels of Justice are creaky and revolve slowly but surely. In Pakistan every dictator has been welcomed with orchestrated slogan shouting and the Judiciary has rubber stamped all the illegal takeovers. Also in India the history of social activism is very strong and the Government is under considerable pressure to be seen to do some thing. In Pakistan the Religious parties seem to be able to mobilize the masses but for all the wrong reasons. Otherwise countries of South Asia face many common problems.
@Domlurian India is the giant, so why shouldn't it be mentioned in an article about South Asia? Pakistan is the country with the next biggest country by population. Bangladesh is the 3d country by population and it also has a problem with corruption and governance, but, it does better in HDI rankings. @Harsh Hazare is using nonviolence for change. Before this effort he also did other things to reform things. He is not sophisticated enough to understand that with the level of systemic corruption the changes required are many. he should read up on the Progressive Era of the US-the era when citizens forced changes into the system and saved America. I find it strange how Indians are attacking him? There are any involved that includes civic bodies. He is one of the parties involved;but, he seems to be a lightning rod. Pakistan is in dire need of such civic action. But in both countries first people need to consider the reforms needed and then put them forward in a platform of reform.
No Mr Harsh You have got it wrong
Gandhians are as such an extinct species ..But for the political class UNFORTUNATELY Anna Hazare was alive and KICKING . Therefore he was chosen for the recent movement, to throw the Political class OFF BALANCE . In India we will definetely see more transparency AND accountability in Future . In short Much better governance than what we have witnessed till now . The pressure from the PEOPLE will not allow the political class to continue with the status quo
A minor correction. Hazare is NOT a Gandhian. He is a pretender.
To my mind , there are sufficient Judicial Independence and activism in India and that's why so many powerful politicians are behind bar beside Judiciary has also opened the closed cases and delivered punishment to powerful people on which movie"No one Killed Jessica" was made.In fast growing developing democratic country-corruption is big issue, Anna Hazare movement is only going to bring public pressure on 40 year old demand before Indian Government to create an independent Ombudsman authority at federal level, something of that kind already exist in some states. Proposed Ombudsman's structure and functioning will be discussed and decided by the highest representative body Parliament, so there is nothing to be alarmed, afterall, every body in India agrees that Ombudsman will be good thing.Present Chief Justice of Pakistan initially gave Military regime of Parvez Mushraff constitutional justification, which does not show judicial Independence although he has differences with Mushraff later, on the other hand Chief justice of Pakistan has also warned executive that he will not allow Pakistan to be secular -which is disturbing.
Another article that includes India just for the sake of doing so. Why should India be included on articles that discuss problems of Pakistan? Corruption in India is a problem for India to solve. Where does "South Asia" come in? In that case shouldn't you also talk about corruption in Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives?
Given the different stages of evolution of each country, the safeguards needed will vary. One needs to examine the situation and consider potential safeguards. Further there need to be systemic changes. In both South Asia and the US this is needed. For instance an outdated local system has now consigned the US to a developing country economy with the onset of the minority-majority era. Why is that? The unitary city structures and the fragmented metropolitan structures have bred economic segregation. Now those segregated will constitute the new majority. What can be the logical result? In South Asia, outdated local structures (yes that means also the Commissionerate system) mean cities are not equipped to deal with massive rural migration on the cards due to water loss, loss of soil fertility and climate change. These are not distant factors;but those already in play.The World Bank which has demonstrated a failure to understand the different types of local governance system in existence has also failed in helping developed countries in this regard. This is also a reason why they find themselves in such a weak position.
Good governance is an ideal that is endangered in both South Asia and developed countries.Take the US for example. Essentially it requires safeguards. As times change those safeguards need bolstering by other safeguards. In the US, the safeguards established by the founders didn't last until the 1800s, which gave rise to the reforms of the Progressive Era. Now in modern era, the country is again in need of new safeguards. http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/sachs173/English America’s Political Class Struggle PBS interview of John Bogle by Bill Moyers: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/09282007/watch.html http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/1119/b4227060634112.htm The Destruction of Economic Facts http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/09/people-dont-realize-how-fragile-democracy-really-is/244559/ 'People Don't Realize How Fragile Democracy Really Is' http://www.truth-out.org/goodbye-all-reflections-gop-operative-who-left-cult/1314907779#%5B3%5D Goodbye to All That: Reflections of a GOP Operative Who Left the Cult India also is in need of safeguards, and more than the Lokpal bill and more than what is suggested here. http://www.tehelka.com/story main50.asp?filename= Ne100911coverstory.asp Time to Rock the Vote
In case of India, it is the growing expectations of the rising middle class that are generating social and political tensions, and we would see more of this coming in the next few years. In Pakistan, on the other hand, corruption is there and was always there. How about NIFDC scandal, land mafia backed by power elites, and so many other things. I generally associate growing religious violence to widespread corruption. Unable to meet their demands, rising inflation, and marginalization of middle class is what is pushing Pakistan to extremism. A visit for medical check–up with a large number of Jee hazoor free-riders including a Major General of the medical corps. What should I make of it and what is wrong with the Pakistani physicians? I think they are equally well qualified. A physical can be performed by any general practitioner with a few lab tests. Let us see how much will be the tab and who will pay it? Is this not latent corruption? A Major/lieutenant Colonel of the Medical corps use to be personal physician of the President. Now we have Major General. So who cures Havaldar Zaman Khan and Lance Naik Banaras Ali? This is what I mean by latent corruption.
Nice artcle. India has huge magnitude of problems but Indian civil society far ahead in subcontinent. The main thing is civil society on right track and contribute regularly.