The 21st point: Overhaul the state
Note: This article was completed on December 31st, 2014, and was originally posted on this Blog in January 2015.
… Presently there is happening quite a serious debate on the 20 points envisaged in the National Action Plan. Its thrust is on two points:
i) All these measures should have been in their place since long as a matter of routine, probably from the day first when Pakistan came to exist; and,
ii) Due to the past negligence of the governments, doubts and questions are being raised about the efficacy of these measures.
The argument the present writer aims to make is a bit different; he wants to propose a 21st point to be added to the NAP, which focuses on overhauling the state. Let’s be precise in judging: It’s the state that played havoc with the society of Pakistan, and now
Renaissance for Reforms – Introducing a new book
Here is the Introduction by the authors:
The recipe for growth is well-known. Most economists would agree that lower taxes and less regulation can encourage entrepreneurship and job creation. Yet, many governments are unwilling to introduce such reforms. An important reason is concern over a voter backlash. Jean-Claude Juncker, a likely candidate for the EU-presidency after two decades as Luxemburg’s Prime Minister, famously lamented “We all know what to do, we just don’t know how to get re-elected after we’ve done it.” Based on an analysis of 109 governments in developed countries, we would suggest that Juncker’s view is mistakenly gloomy. Although market-oriented reforms may initially meet fierce resistance, governments that introduce them are more often than not rewarded by voters.
In our new book “Renaissance for Reforms” we look at the pace and direction of reforms in 29 OECD governments