Socialism in Pakistan
Encyclopedia
The influences of Socialism
and socialist movements in Pakistan
have been fluctuating and often limited at various times throughout the country's history and at present remain questionable. While capitalism
has always held its sway, the prevalence of the socialist ideology has nevertheless continued to be found in a number of instances in Pakistan's political past and prominent personalities. Much of the remaining socialism in Pakistan today accedes to the idea of Islamic socialism
, where the state would be run in a socialist set-up consistent with Islamic political principles, while other proponents demand pure socialism.
. The Pakistan Socialist Party
(PSP) was the only socialist party of her time, and had major base in rural areas of East and West Pakistan. The PSP was a secular and socialist party that had first oppose the idea of Pakistan, and it had found itself politically isolated and with little mass appeal despite its strong base in rural areas. Because of its secular policies, the party was labeled as Kafirs, by her opponents. Furthermore, it found it difficult to compete with the Islamic socialism
that Lyakat Ali-Khan
, first Prime minister
, professed to in 1949. It had around 1200 members and was a member of the Asian Socialist Conference
. However, after the Chief Martial Law Administrator
General Ayub Khan imposed the first martial law, all political parties were banned in Pakistan in 1958.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, a renowned socialist democratic, was a major and driving force of introducing socialism in the country. Bhutto was heavily interested in secularism and socialism during his time, and while studying political science, he would later deliver a series of lectures on the viability of socialism in Muslim countries. During his tenure as the President and later as Prime Minister, he pioneered several socialist economic policies. He eradicated the feudal system
to a great extent; mass reforms took place in limiting the amount of land that could be owned, with remaining land divisions being allotted to a large chunk of poor farmers; landless tenants could also find increased support in the new programme. Labour rights were upgraded more than ever before; poverty experienced a sharp reduction.
Fundamental rights of the citizen, such as access to adequate health and free education, were brought under a renewed focus. Schools, colleges and universities were nationalized. A large segment of the banking sector, industrial sector (including iron and steel mills), engineering firms, vehicle, food and chemical production industries were also nationalized. The number and strength of trade unions experienced a rise. Rural residents, urban wage earners and landless peasants were to be given ‘material support’ as people of the state.
When Bhutto founded the Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP) in 1966, he declared the PPP's beliefs in a speech as following: "Islam
is our faith, democracy
is our policy, socialism is our economy. All power to the people." His left-wing, socialistic ideas and his famous slogan of "Roti
, Kapra aur Makan" ("food, clothing and shelter") drew mass support and contributed to much of the PPP's popularity. A number of critics, notably the conservatives and hard-line religious leaders, have however blamed Bhutto's socialist policies for slowing down Pakistan's economic progress, owing to poor productivity and high costs.
After the removal of Bhutto, the socialism in the country would met with harsh political opposition from the conservative Pakistan Muslim League
and the hard-line religious bloc Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal
. General Zia-ul-Haque, Chief Martial Law Administrator
(President
as well) and Chief of Army Staff, dealt with socialists, communists and the secularists met with harsh political oppression
under the General Zia regime. Many of the socialists, marxists, communists, secularists, and the democratic activists were either thrown in jail or went missing in which their records are not yet to be found anywhere. The socialism under Zia regime saw itself struggling with political opponents as well as with military dictatorship. During 1977 until 1988, government cracked down the socialists and were not allowed to took participate in the elections. Despite Benazir Bhutto
's democratic regime, the oppression of socialists forces continued and subsequently they had lost public support in the country. In 2002, Pakistan Social Democratic Party
but it was short lived. After few months, the party was disbanded in favor of Pakistan People's Party.
have failed to make an impact, especially after the Islamic socialism that Liaquat Ali Khan
theoritically professed to in 1949. Pakistan furthermore does not have the required economic capability nor infrastructure which would make it self-reliant and allow socialism to institutionalise. Other contended reasons are opposition by right-wing religious parties, who claim that socialism in any form is not compatible with Muslim norms of ruling the state.
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and socialist movements in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
have been fluctuating and often limited at various times throughout the country's history and at present remain questionable. While capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
has always held its sway, the prevalence of the socialist ideology has nevertheless continued to be found in a number of instances in Pakistan's political past and prominent personalities. Much of the remaining socialism in Pakistan today accedes to the idea of Islamic socialism
Islamic socialism
Islamic socialism is a term coined by various Muslim leaders to describe a more spiritual form of socialism. Muslim socialists believe that the teachings of the Qur'an and Muhammad are compatible with principles of equality and the redistribution of wealth....
, where the state would be run in a socialist set-up consistent with Islamic political principles, while other proponents demand pure socialism.
History
The struggle of socialism and communist system began in August 1947, shortly after the creation of PakistanPakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement or Tehrik-e-Pakistan refers to the historical movement to have an independent Muslim state named Pakistan created from the separation of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, partitioned within or outside the British Indian Empire. It had its origins in the...
. The Pakistan Socialist Party
Pakistan Socialist Party
The Pakistan Socialist Party was a political party in Pakistan. It was formed out of the branches of the Indian Socialist Party in the areas ceded to the new state of Pakistan. The PSP failed to make any political breakthrough in Pakistani politics...
(PSP) was the only socialist party of her time, and had major base in rural areas of East and West Pakistan. The PSP was a secular and socialist party that had first oppose the idea of Pakistan, and it had found itself politically isolated and with little mass appeal despite its strong base in rural areas. Because of its secular policies, the party was labeled as Kafirs, by her opponents. Furthermore, it found it difficult to compete with the Islamic socialism
Islamic socialism
Islamic socialism is a term coined by various Muslim leaders to describe a more spiritual form of socialism. Muslim socialists believe that the teachings of the Qur'an and Muhammad are compatible with principles of equality and the redistribution of wealth....
that Lyakat Ali-Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan
For other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...
, first Prime minister
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
, professed to in 1949. It had around 1200 members and was a member of the Asian Socialist Conference
Asian Socialist Conference
The Asian Socialist Conference was an organization of socialist political parties in Asia, that existed between 1953 and 1960. It had its headquarters in Rangoon, Burma, and the Burmese socialist leader Ba Swe served as the Chairman of the organization. Two Asian Socialist Conferences were held, in...
. However, after the Chief Martial Law Administrator
Chief Martial Law Administrator
The office of the Chief Martial Law Administrator was a senior government post created in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia that gave considerable executive authority and powers to the holder of the post to enforce martial law in the country. This office has been used mostly by...
General Ayub Khan imposed the first martial law, all political parties were banned in Pakistan in 1958.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, a renowned socialist democratic, was a major and driving force of introducing socialism in the country. Bhutto was heavily interested in secularism and socialism during his time, and while studying political science, he would later deliver a series of lectures on the viability of socialism in Muslim countries. During his tenure as the President and later as Prime Minister, he pioneered several socialist economic policies. He eradicated the feudal system
Feudalism in Pakistan
The feudal archetype in Pakistan consists of landlords with large joint families possessing hundreds or even thousands of acres of land. They seldom make any direct contribution to agricultural production. Instead, all work is done by peasants or tenants who live at subsistence level...
to a great extent; mass reforms took place in limiting the amount of land that could be owned, with remaining land divisions being allotted to a large chunk of poor farmers; landless tenants could also find increased support in the new programme. Labour rights were upgraded more than ever before; poverty experienced a sharp reduction.
Fundamental rights of the citizen, such as access to adequate health and free education, were brought under a renewed focus. Schools, colleges and universities were nationalized. A large segment of the banking sector, industrial sector (including iron and steel mills), engineering firms, vehicle, food and chemical production industries were also nationalized. The number and strength of trade unions experienced a rise. Rural residents, urban wage earners and landless peasants were to be given ‘material support’ as people of the state.
When Bhutto founded the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
(PPP) in 1966, he declared the PPP's beliefs in a speech as following: "Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
is our faith, democracy
Socialist Democracy
Socialist Democracy can refer to any of several political parties. Groups using this name tend to have a connection to the reunified Fourth International, reflecting its distinctive position on socialist democracy :*Socialist Democracy...
is our policy, socialism is our economy. All power to the people." His left-wing, socialistic ideas and his famous slogan of "Roti
Roti
Roti is generally a South Asian bread made from stoneground wholemeal flour, traditionally known as atta flour, that originated and is consumed in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is also consumed in parts of the Southern Caribbean, particularly in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and...
, Kapra aur Makan" ("food, clothing and shelter") drew mass support and contributed to much of the PPP's popularity. A number of critics, notably the conservatives and hard-line religious leaders, have however blamed Bhutto's socialist policies for slowing down Pakistan's economic progress, owing to poor productivity and high costs.
After the removal of Bhutto, the socialism in the country would met with harsh political opposition from the conservative Pakistan Muslim League
Pakistan Muslim League
The Pakistan Muslim League was founded in 1962, as a successor to the previously disbanded Muslim League in Pakistan. Unlike the original PML which ended in 1958 when General Ayub Khan banned all political parties, each subsequent Muslim League was in some way propped by the military dictators of...
and the hard-line religious bloc Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal is a coalition of Islamist parties that was formed in 2002 to electorally challenge the Pakistan Parliament's incumbent parties...
. General Zia-ul-Haque, Chief Martial Law Administrator
Chief Martial Law Administrator
The office of the Chief Martial Law Administrator was a senior government post created in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia that gave considerable executive authority and powers to the holder of the post to enforce martial law in the country. This office has been used mostly by...
(President
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
as well) and Chief of Army Staff, dealt with socialists, communists and the secularists met with harsh political oppression
Oppression under the regime of General Zia-ul-Haq
The Oppression under the Military Governmental regime of General Zia-ul-Haq, is a period in the Cold war context and the history of Pakistan in which the mass political and military repression occurred during the military regime of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq who gave the authorization of such...
under the General Zia regime. Many of the socialists, marxists, communists, secularists, and the democratic activists were either thrown in jail or went missing in which their records are not yet to be found anywhere. The socialism under Zia regime saw itself struggling with political opponents as well as with military dictatorship. During 1977 until 1988, government cracked down the socialists and were not allowed to took participate in the elections. Despite Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
's democratic regime, the oppression of socialists forces continued and subsequently they had lost public support in the country. In 2002, Pakistan Social Democratic Party
Pakistan Social Democratic Party
The Pakistan Social Democratic Party is a political party in Pakistan. In 2002, with a wristwatch as the party's symbol on the ballot, it fielded 1 candidate in the National Assembly elections and the regional assembly elections, but won no seats...
but it was short lived. After few months, the party was disbanded in favor of Pakistan People's Party.
Contemporary situation
Notwithstanding the changes which took place during the Bhutto era, the ability of socialism to expand in Pakistan has for most of the time, been restricted and unsuccessful. Hardcore organisations such as the Pakistan Socialist PartyPakistan Socialist Party
The Pakistan Socialist Party was a political party in Pakistan. It was formed out of the branches of the Indian Socialist Party in the areas ceded to the new state of Pakistan. The PSP failed to make any political breakthrough in Pakistani politics...
have failed to make an impact, especially after the Islamic socialism that Liaquat Ali Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan
For other people with the same or similar name, see Liaqat Ali Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan was a Pakistani statesman who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Defence minister and Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs...
theoritically professed to in 1949. Pakistan furthermore does not have the required economic capability nor infrastructure which would make it self-reliant and allow socialism to institutionalise. Other contended reasons are opposition by right-wing religious parties, who claim that socialism in any form is not compatible with Muslim norms of ruling the state.
Socialist organisations
- Mazdoor Kisan Party
- National Workers Party (Pakistan)National Workers Party (Pakistan)On 1 May 1999, the Awami Jamhoori Party, Pakistan Socialist Party and a faction of Pakistan National Party formed the National Workers Party...
- Pakistan Socialist PartyPakistan Socialist PartyThe Pakistan Socialist Party was a political party in Pakistan. It was formed out of the branches of the Indian Socialist Party in the areas ceded to the new state of Pakistan. The PSP failed to make any political breakthrough in Pakistani politics...