A Critique of Welfare Capitalism
سرمایہ دارانہ فلاحی نظام:
ہیں کواکب کچھ نظر آتے ہیں کچھ
Presenter: Dr. Ahsan Rana
Associate Professor of Social Policy - Suleman Dawood School of Business
Dr. Ahsan Rana is an Associate Professor of Social Policy at the Suleman Dawood School of Business at LUMS. He obtained his MS degree in Social Planning and Development from The University of Queensland, and a PhD in Development Studies from The University of Melbourne. He has an extensive and experiential understanding of public policy and governance, developed through his career as a civil servant in the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) and as a consultant for international development organizations. His research interests include Welfare Capitalism, particularly in Pakistan. He has authored several journal articles, book chapters, management cases, and working papers on the subject. His research has culminated in his book Hain Kawākib Kuch, a comprehensive treatise in Urdu, based on three years of research and multiple academic reviews and revisions.
Respondent: Dr. Faisal Bari
Associate Professor - Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences
CEO & Senior Research Fellow - Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS)
Dr. Faisal Bari is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Mushtaq Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences at LUMS. He is also the CEO and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS). He obtained his BA (Honors) from the University of Oxford and his BSc from Government College, Lahore. He holds an MA in Philosophy from the University of Punjab and a PhD in Economics from McGill University. He has served as the Head of the Economics Department and the Dean of Syed Ahsan Ali School of Education at LUMS. He has also served as the Deputy Country Director for Pakistan with the Central Eurasia Project and as an education economist for South Asia at the Open Society Foundation. Dr. Faisal has consulted for various multilateral and bilateral agencies, including the World Bank, UNDP, DFID, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He is also a regular columnist for the daily Dawn.
Reading Material
ہیں کواکب کچھ
سرمایہ دارانہ فلاحی نظام: مفروضے اور حقائق
محمد احسن رانا
This book offers a comprehensive critique of welfare capitalism. Examining the relationship between the two ideologies, the author argues that while welfare aims to alleviate the contradictions within the capitalist system, it ultimately puts pressure on state resources and leads to fiscal crises worldwide. Through critical analysis, the book delves into the role of the welfare state in serving the needs of the capitalist system since the Second World War. Furthermore, the book examines the specific case of Pakistan's welfare regime, revealing the tension between a culture animated by welfare and that animated by capitalism and exploring why the state continues to spend on welfare despite financial deficits. The book also explores how social services and various measures in the form of social assistance and social insurance have benefitted the bourgeoisie more than the working class. Overall, this book provides an examination of the complexities of welfare capitalism and its impact on society.
Dr. Ahsan has graciously provided us with the foreword, the first two chapters and the last chapter for public viewership.
رانا، ا. (۲۰۲۴)، ہیں کواکب کچھ: سرمایہ دارانہ فلاحی نظام: مفروضے اور حقائق.