The Political Economy of South Asia

When the states of South Asia ¹ emerged from the retreating British Empire, their dominant ideology was one of soft socialism. The system of government these states initially adopted was a Westminster-style political democracy (though Pakistan did not hold its first parliamentary elections until 1973), ² and governments were expected to play a leading role in the economic development of the new countries. ³ As for foreign policy, India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru began with idealistic notions of Third World solidarity, peace, and goodwill toward other countries (Pakistan, of course, excepted). ⁴ The new government of Pakistan began with no such ideals. Born in war, its foreign policy since 1947 has been dominated by the military and the attendant crude version of European and North American neorealism. India inherited neorealism from the British but did not return to it until 1962.