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Who is this elite?
ayesha.siddiqa@tribune.com.pk
In recent months, several articles published on these pages have referred to the elite’s myopia. A couple of months ago, I happened to attend a meeting at a think-tank where two firebrand speakers — one a young and upcoming analyst and the other an old, experienced, retired diplomat — castigated the stupidity of the elite. I found the conversation interesting because the two making such comments, like the rest of us sitting there, were part of the very elite they criticised. In fact, those who write for The Express Tribune or for other English newspapers are part of the elite too.
This raises a fundamental question about the identity of our elite. Who is Pakistan’s elite? Is it the same as in 1947 or has it changed? If so, what is its current shape? Due to lack of quality social science research in this country, we have failed to acknowledge the evolution of the elite.
Popularly, the word ‘elite’ is used as a derogatory term meaning powerful extortionists controlling the state and its resources. Elite is also considered synonymous with the landowning class. However, it is much more than that. Until the early 1970s, it also consisted of large business groups that came to be referred by Mahbubul Haq during the 1960s as the 22 most influential families. Sociologist and political scientist Hamza Alavi refers to the three classes of Pakistani elite: Feudal landowners, indigenous bourgeoisie and metropolitan capital.
Unfortunately, all this solid research is forgotten and people now have their own definition of what is ‘elite’. There is the MQM definition which includes landowners and sugar-mill owners, but excludes business and industry in Karachi. The PML-N’s Shahbaz Sharif also warns against the elite by which he means those in the ruling PPP. Then there is Imran Khan’s terminology of the decadent elite that comprises all his opponents, but not the big-wigs who work with him. Not to forget the definition of religious parties that mainly includes people with a western-liberal leaning. All these approaches are reductionist and consider socio-economic evolution as a static process. In Pakistan’s case, the civil and military bureaucracy has remained politically powerful for at least 33-35 years, which means that other social groups were added to the list.
Pakistan’s elite has evolved and also includes the ‘new rich’ — the upper-middle and the intermediary class (falling between the middle and upper-middle). These new entrants are not distinguished by birth, but by their capacity to generate capital, enter into a partnership with the permanent establishment, manipulate the state — its power and resources — and benefit from foreign capital inflows. This structure also means that birth is a secondary issue. So today, the Altaf Hussain clan, Asif Zardari, Imran Khan, Tariq Aziz, Generals Aslam Beg, Hamid Gul, Pervez Musharraf; entrepreneurs like Malik Riaz; media moghuls like Mir Shakeelur Rehman; stockbrokers like Aqeel Dedhi, or the LeT’s Hafiz Saeed and similar other militant leaders are the new elite versus the old such as the Jatois, Bhuttos, Talpurs, Sehgals and the Adamjees, who are now less important. The NGO sector is also part of the new elite.
The access to foreign capital and abundance of black money backed by state power, has added new names to the elite list. In the past four decades or more, individuals and groups have used their position in relation to the traditional power centres and the state to acquire both capital and power. These two elements put them in a position where they can flout law without impunity, or use the state and its resources to extort greater power and influence. The extent of connectivity with the state allows them to enhance their financial worth. For instance, the elite of the development community use their access to the state to draw wealth from foreign donors and also use their association with the donor community to enhance their influence in the state. The process is cyclical.
More important, this elite is interconnected and has taken the shape of a large fraternity of common interests. It is due to the expansion of the elite and its incestuous nature that Pakistan may not see a Tunisia kind of change. The stakeholders might want chaos, but they do not want to upset the gravy train.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2011.
Reader Comments (32)
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As always your article is precise and describes various ways of identifying our elite. I personally associate people who are rich as elite class. They are the ones who evade taxes, have foreign vacations and talk apple iphone and land cruisers. Off course they are in a minority but they hold this country hostage. They control businesses and they control who gets education and who gets justice, etc. My wife has added another class to elite definition: People who exclusively talk in English while they are in public. Well, she may just be right.
Another brilliant article.
Interesting analysis and I liked your final conclusion.
I think the old elite consisted of : intelligence, culture and money.
The new elite consists of : money, lack of morals and hypocrisy.
Perhaps one of the best read in Pakistani media. Very precise and well defined. People like Ayesha Siddiqua and Dr. Hodbhoy are blessing for this nation drowning in to ocean of ignorance.
The word “elite” is used as a synonym for the parasites; this group has a sense of entitlement to all the perks and privileges but assumes itself to be immune from accountability and responsibility.
I must say it is always fascinating to read your articles. Again a very good one. Interestingly, more often than not it is people belonging to elite class who talk about other elites. And depending on their interests and concerns, they can exclude on types of elites but include the other type. You’ve rightfully asked why landowners and why not businessmen.
highly inspiring commentary on elite class,,,, very relevant and deeply rooted evil in Pakistani society i,m sure we need not to see the emergence and its distorting form in broader spectrum..Pakistan is on the top in the world producing elite class just to exploit the ethical.moral,material,and political values…there is no way out putting off this black magic,,,,,hope your great articles would work as ointment to the injuries caused by this elitism,,,,,in the name of democracy our political_cum religious leaders widened the gape between the divergent groups patriotic to this nation,Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto put the foundation of isolating the minorities from national patriotic main sphere now few interested groups in the power use the same strategy which was initiated in the decade of 70s,,the more a society divides the worst it will be exploited,,
Nice.
Dear Aysha,
Pakistani public still do’t know who is or has been the ruling elite in Pakistan. Pakistan security establishment has been the leading entity to use state resources, power and powergame.
Iftikhar hussain
Washington
Ayesha,
Good!
In Pakistani context as described by the writer these are the people who believe that they are the centre of the universe. They are law into themselves and in the words of George Eliot they, ‘Resemble a cock who thinks the sun has risen to hear him crow’.
Pakistan Railway can go to dogs, but their Gravy Train will be always running on the assigned track.
Instead of defining and categorizing “elites”, we should be looking for who are honest among millions of Pakistanis. Do we have any?
I think Ayesha is little too extravagant with her analysis. In Pakistan only top army officers are elite. Even the big name politicians and businessmen are not included in that exclusive club.
I always thought of the Pakistani elite as the functional illiterates with a masters degree in an ology, one who cannot with any reasonable degree either articulate a thought without being nauseatingly verbose and always ready to provide unnecessary expalnations. Brevity and specificity are never given consideration. Who knows everything about nothing and thinks being courteous to the unforunate is a great favor they bestow on them.
They as I have been trying to convey through this forum are the true curse of and for Pakistan. They live and sit in their drawing rooms pontificating till the cows come home and address thier pampered snotty kids like they owe them a favor.
In other words real low life(s) with an holier than thou attitide. Oh, but they fall over each other to be called an intellectual. Then they complain that the truly illiteates are blowing themselves up and messing up their weekends. Do as I say don’t do as I do! Makes me sick to even be around such people.
The day these misguided people with bloated egos come down to earth and relate to the less forunate is the day they start to win this war of ideology over the Mulla’s!
Ayesha,
You missed New and influential Elites i.e. Judges and Journalists, both entitled to be Elites. Both are Grabbing resources by means of expensive residential plots and misuse of their Authority. Isn’t owner of Geo group an Elite in terms of both, power and money. Did nt u shake Army (an elite group) and earned fortune by writting a singe controvercial book. Sorry 4 offence if any.
I want to become an elite, how should I achieve this feat?
You have raised a good question and given some hints about the answer.Maybe a more thorough analysis to uncover their roots,levers of influence,political leanings etc etc.
The Pakistani elite had a very different origin when its idea was founded and when it was founded and the elite of today.The answers from the analysis might also provide us with clues to ending the unending extremism that Pakistan is engulfed in today and threatens infect the rest of South Asia.
Its a question that needs answers urgently.
Esoteric
http://esotericrambling.blogspot.com
Does’nt make any sense and sorry no connection. It is not the expansion of elites in Pakistan, there is a big and growing majority of poor people in Pakistan and history tells us that revolutions were always initiatied by the poor!
Haha. Nice and funny.
big names in media are certainly elite.
Lovely…. I am waiting when will you write about your tripe in Balochistan
Good work.
Ayesha
well done , a good analysis but still some more to need to be included in this list
In in our institutions , why we are a deprived of social sciences studies , if we include this subject in our curriculum as a compulsory one from the primary to high school levels , then one day we ll be able to dawn as a prosperous nation on world , and this is also the one of the way to combat terrorism and extremism and to promote social harmony.
In my opinion the elite class in Pakistan is the one who have vision and want to govern Pakistan as desired by the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, but do not have enough resources to get elected in the assemblies, neither they want to become members of any mafia group in the country to grab power.
In plain words, rest of the people, for me, are nothing more than garbage.
In which elite class do you fall,Ayesha?
I think it is important how the world defines elite but it is more important how our people conceives the meaning of elite in their real world scenarios. I think a person, system or institutions that has greater share in decision power can be called as Elite. Now the perceptions that can be negative mostly are based on the response of that particular elites. I think if a poor villagers are humiliated and looted by a revenue magistrate then his perceptions will develop as an exploiter as he has authority to do that. So that particular magistrate has a different view of elite.So speaking relatively we are rich in production of elite. I think it is no harm in being an elite because it also shows the excellence of something. Being elite is just not mean using power or money for exploitation,looting or achieving personal gains. It is also a mean to excel in giving, sharing and collaborating people in matters of knowledge, financial difficulties and social healing. I considered Dr. Ayesha an elite columnist just not because she is a famous analyst but because she uses her power to enlighten people like me.
I think all human beings are elite as according to divine revelations.Every individual has power to decide something and has an influence area. Problem is not being an elite but problem is the ways we used that gifted power.
The so called elite run the society all over the world whether we like it or not. The problem is that our so called elite are less educated than most illiterate people.
Btw, this is the list of the 22 families in no order.
Saigol’s (Sehgals)
Tabani’s
Haroon
Hashwani
Adamjee
Shahnawaz
Peerbhoy
Dawoon
Habibs
Bawany
Ismaeel
Sattar’s
Baksh Khan
Chinoy
Chinioti’s
Jaffer
Rangoonwala
Maratib’s
Amin’s
Dawood
Isphani
Khaleeli
There were of course many other business families and this list does not include the Feudal Lords, Pirs, Generals etc.
Most of these families are still around.
@ Author
Dear Madam, how can you say Hafeez Sayeed is an elite ? He is a terrorist, blood thirsty goon, I dont think Pakistani people are that much stupid to treat him as elite.
Rest of the article is Sane.
Best Regards.
The “new elite” are becoming quite numerous these days. One of the top billings must of course go the leading property developer from Punjab who some believe is the richest man in Pakistan today.
Reputedly he was the man who single handedly changed Musharraf’s attire, originally badly tailored ill-fitting suits, basic shoes, etc to expensively tailored Armani, Brioni suits, Feragamo ties and Gucci shoes. He did the same for freeloading Shortcut Aziz as well. These days he is said to be behind the new found spiffiness of Yousuf Gillani as well.
We can only guess what does he get in return for being the haberdasher-in-chief to the rulers of the Islamic Republic.
So, which elite group do you belong to Ayesha?
Here’s a story about some elite characters(old elite at that) by an elite writer.It makes for a nice reading,I must add..
http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/07/you-know-you%e2%80%99re-from-karachi-when.html